\paperw4260 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 Probably part of the predella of a large altarpiece, this small but extremely valuable painting is generally linked with the name of L
eonardo da Vinci, although it has been suggested that it is not entirely his own work but a collaboration with his pupil Lorenzo di Credi. The composition of the painting is very similar to the \i Annunciation\i0 now in the Galleria degli Uffizi, painte
d by da Vinci when he was in Florence. The small work is notable for the compact way in which space is handled and the balanced arrangement of the two figures within it. Their inclined positions form an imaginary arch that underlines their union and clos
eness. Kneeling in a garden filled with flowers and opening onto a valley, the angel, his great wings spread, is bringing the news to Mary. Located inside a more enclosed space, the Virgin responds with a gesture of delicate spirituality, her hands cross
ed on her breast. The form of her face and the delicacy of her expression suggest a direct derivation from the Florentine tradition of \i Madonnas\i0 established by \b \cf4 \ATXht1093 Filippo Lippi\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 and Verrocchio. In the background, the
dark shapes of the trees contrast with the pale and luminous sky in the distance, while a warm light plays over the figures and contributes to the atmospheric intensity of the whole.
