The annunciation
This print, which depicts a Hamilton painting hanging in a London gallery, was inspired by an invitation for Hamilton to exhibit at the church of San Marco in Florence, home to famous frescoes by Fra Angelico (ca. 1395–1455). In particular, Hamilton was attracted to Fra Angelico’s Annunciation, which replicates the setting of a cloister. Updating many of Fra Angelico’s themes for his own version, Hamilton replaced the cloister with the walls of Anthony d’Offay’s gallery; while a window grill becomes an air vent, the angel Gabriel’s glorious news now comes over a cordless phone.
Artwork Details
- Title: The annunciation
- Artist: Richard Hamilton (British, London 1922–2011 Oxfordshire)
- Printer: Roderic Hamilton (British, active 20th–21st century)
- Date: 2005
- Medium: Inkjet print
- Edition: 22/60 + 6 artist's proofs
- Dimensions: 23 3/8 × 26 3/4 in. (59.4 × 67.9 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Purchase, Reba and Dave Williams Gift, 2006
- Object Number: 2006.123
- Rights and Reproduction: © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
- Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art
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