Abstract: Gentile da Fabriano's Annunciation in the Vatican Pinacoteca is one of the most interesting visualizations of a metaphor from medieval literature that compares Mary's virginity to a glass window. The painting combines three elements - light rays, a Gothic masonry window and the imprint of the window's shape on Mary's body - in a completely unique way.
The painting is a visualization of the phrase ut vitrum non laeditur, which is found in ancient hymns as far back as around 1370. It was used to explain how Mary could conceive and give birth to a child without losing her virginity. In an article from 1945, Millard Meiss discussed Flemish painters' use of this metaphor, believing that it was of Dutch origin. In my presentation, I question Meiss' hypothesis, suggesting instead a Tuscan origin.
