Yesterday opened a new exhibition from the series "Masterpieces of the Hermitage museums in the world"

State Hermitage Museum, Winter Palace Apollo Hall,
February 15 - May 27, 2012
St. Petersburg, Palace Square, 2

Carlo Crivelli The Annunciation with Saint Emidio. In 1486 Source: hermitagemuseum.org

Yesterday, February 14th, 2012 at the State Hermitage Museum exhibition "Carlo Crivelli." The Annunciation with Saints Emidio "from the collection of the National Gallery, London", which continues a series of exhibition "Masterpieces of the Hermitage museum in the world».

«The Annunciation with Saint Emidio" - the most famous work of Venetian painter Carlo Crivelli XV century (1430/35-1495 (?)), is represented in the Hermitage, in gratitude for the exposure of a masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci's "Madonna Litta" from the museum collection in the exhibition "Leonardo at Milan's court" in the National Gallery, London.

big altarpiece signed: « OPVS CAROLI CRIVELLI VENETI » ( Carlo Crivelli Venetians WORK ). reminder of the birthplace of the artist suggests that he was working away Venice: all the major works of Carlo Crivelli created in the territories of Marche, in the possession of Rome. In the southern part of this area lies the town of Ascoli Piceno, in whose life was an important event: March 22, 1482 Pope Sixtus IV restored the rights of special bull of municipal government. Message Pope - Libertas ecclesiastica - reached their destination on March 25, the day of the Annunciation, he immediately announced city-wide celebration. Then Carlo Crivelli was commissioned altarpiece of the Annunciation Church of Santissima Annunziata for the (completed in 1486). Realizing the significance of this painting, Crivelli sought not just talk about the Gospel event, but also reveal the exceptional circumstances that accompanied the request.

Carlo Crivelli The Annunciation with Saint Emidio. in 1486 (fragment Source: hermitagemuseum.org

Carlo Crivelli The Annunciation with Saint Emidio. in 1486 (detail) Source: hermitagemuseum.org

narrow doorway framed by pilasters and surmounted by a cornice not less than luxurious, the interior opens up the room in which Mary prayed kneeling. Madonna rises above the second housing floor with a spacious balcony, creating an overall impression of an aristocratic palace. Opposite him - like palaces, and lies between the street drags deep into the eyes, where the perspective lines closed by an arch in her doorway visible jagged wall - the boundary of the city. In this ideal urban form askolantsam brought them a native of Ascoli Piceno is not true, and dream city, whose image is consistent with the cultural and aesthetic principles of the Renaissance.

The extension of the Gospel events in a fantastic and realistic environment at the same time brings it closer to meeting the expectations of our customers altar : festive atmosphere of joyful anticipation all the characters live pictures.

Maria autumn splendor of the Holy Spirit: The beam penetrates her from the sky through the barred window. He, however, is invisible to many characters that fill the first and long-term plans - it is the citizens, residents of Ascoli Piceno. All of them are engaged in leisurely conversation on the steps of the palace, standing in the gallery, or strolling through the garden, are languishing in eager anticipation, and those who can not cope with the excitement, peering intently into the sky. They are also waiting to be "good news" is no accident near Archangel Gabriel Saint Emidio presented - the patron of the city - with a model in the hands of Ascoli Piceno. poles sit on pigeons: papal bull was brought into the city it is pigeon-mail. A man standing on the arch reads the message, just born a bird. the only intermediary between the viewer and the characters of the picture - a little kid, only he can contemplate the mystery of the Annunciation. inscription on the cornice along the bottom edge of the picture recalls the event that triggered the creation of the altar: LIBERTAS ECCLESIASTICA, immediately arms of Pope Bishop Innocent XIII and Caffarelli.

Carlo Crivelli sought to convey a whole world, seen through the eyes of an artist of XV century. In the foreground are placed apple, symbolizing original sin, and cucumber - and the fertility of the gardens of Eden. Both fruit - a sort of "Dummy": cucumber, "moving out" with the cap going from pictorial space into the real. Peacock, sitting on a ledge on the second floor - a hint of immortality, eternal life, prepared for the righteous. Despite the abundance of colorful detail, the composition does not seem overloaded, with development of a sense of harmony Carlo Crivelli can keep the total balance. for an artist is not by chance its fame as a master of subtly refined style, he has enriched the traditional techniques of Venetian certain pattern and contrasting light and shade, mathematically precise construction of the space and architecture, jewelry trim shapes, grace and elegance figures, as if coming down from the pages of chivalry.

curator of the exhibition - Irina Artemyev, a leading researcher in the Department of Western European Art of the State Hermitage Museum, PhD. State Hermitage Publishing House of the exhibition prepared an illustrated booklet , whose author - Igor Artemiev.

Source: hermitagemuseum.org