THE NEW ALTARPIECE OF THE ANNUNCIATION.
This altarpiece, in colonial baroque style, is made of carved cedar wood and later gilded and treated to provide the wood with the qualities of waterproof and fireproof material. It has decorative details also made in wood and gilded after the mixtión.
Because of the characteristics of St. Ann Church, the new altarpiece had to be adapted to the three walls of the presbytery, so that this wooden structure of almost 7 meters high could house, in three heights, a tabernacle, a relief of the Annunciation and a crucifix.
POLYCHROME HIGH RELIEF OF THE ANNUNCIATION
The relief of the Annunciation that occupies the central wall is made of polychrome resin and represents the angel Gabriel, the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit at the moment of the Annunciation. The three figures are integrated in a triangular manner, expressing through the golden proportion the perfection and harmony of this divine scene.
THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN MARY AND THE ANGEL
The design tries to portray an intimate encounter between the everyday and the supernatural. The Virgin is in her house - in the background you can see elements of what could be the courtyard of a house of the time: the staircase, the arches leading outside and modest elements such as a wineskin, a simple chair or a basket with sewing utensils - she looks at the angel surprised by his greeting while their dialogue develops. The angel appears and surprises the Virgin in her house. while she is taking a break from her chores and reading the scriptures. In this case she is praying with the Isaiah's prophecy about the MessiahWe can appreciate this if we observe the parchment that remains open with the reference and the word "Emmanuel" written on it. This detail points to Mary as the woman in whom the expectations of the Jewish People, who awaited the arrival of a savior, are fulfilled.
The figure of the Virgin MaryShe is seated on a humble chair with her right hand on her chest as a sign of recollection and prayer, while with the other she holds the scroll of the Scriptures.
The angel is suspended at a certain distance above ground level and gazes at the Virgin's face. The posture of his relaxed legs and feet reinforce the sensation of weightlessness and that of his left arm, raised and pointing towards the sky, indicates the place from which he comes and from where he has been sent, while he holds with his right a branch of white lilies, symbol of Mary's virginity.
The Holy Spirit is represented, in line with Christian tradition, in the form of a white dove descending from above and illuminating the scene with its rays.
The polychrome applied with a glaze on the wood gives the relief light and luminous tones and has made it possible to give even more life and depth to the scene, highlighting some elements, such as the sacred scriptures and the dove representing the Holy Spirit, from among the rest of the elements of the composition, as well as outlining the cloudiness that accompanies the sudden appearance of the angel or the blushing face of the Virgin Mary.
