The Virgin, seated at the left of the painting, turns to look up at the Archangel Gabriel, who appears at the right, on a cloud supported by putti. The head of God the Father and the Dove appear at the top of the composition, surrounded by more putti and angels.

Frequently depicted in art, the Annunciation was the moment that the Angel Gabriel visited the Virgin Mary and announced to her that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. The source is Luke 1.26-38. Gabriel is traditionally shown handing a white lily to the Virgin, as here; he interrupts her while she is reading, demonstrated by the open book on the table.

The picture appears to be an autograph work of good quality. The bland, smooth and classical features of the Virgin and angels derive from Maratta's apprenticeship with Andrea Sacchi, but the diagonal, crowded composition and the way in which the drapery billows and flutters suggests that Maratta had looked at Sacchi's arch rival, Pietro da Cortona. The painting is virtually a replica of Maratta's Annunciation in the Hermitage, St Petersburg, which is also on copper. The most obvious difference is the omission here of the Virgin's sewing basket and scissors on the floor. The picture was engraved by one of Maratta's pupils, R. van Audenaerde (d. 1743), and also by J. G. Bergmüller (d.1762), who was active entirely in Germany, suggesting that the picture's provenance is from there.

When this painting was acquired in the eighteenth century, Carlo Maratta was regarded as the most recent exponent of the great tradition of Raphael. Many important works by him were acquired during this period and hung in pride of place.

Text adapted from The First Georgians: Art and Monarchy 1714-1760, London, 2014