Relief: Detail of Orsanmichele Tabernacle

myminifactory

The relief was an integral part of the tabernacle at Orsanmichele in Florence, depicting the Annunciation. The Christian celebration of this event commemorates the moment when the angel Gabriel revealed to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to Jesus, the Son of God, marking his Incarnation. Gabriel instructed Mary to name her son Yehoshua, meaning "YHWH is salvation". The tabernacle is an unparalleled architectural achievement in Florence, exhibiting affinity with a series of monuments dating back to the late 13th century. Its bas-reliefs offer innovative solutions to the challenge of narrative sculpture while showcasing a debt to art before 1348. Notably, its imagery conveys a sense of positivity rather than harsh judgment. The context of the tabernacle sheds light on this phenomenon. Firstly, the tabernacle was constructed to house a miraculous image of the Virgin that had been the focal point of pilgrims since the late 13th century. Secondly, the patrons of the tabernacle were members of a confraternity with roots dating back to 1291. Their established practices, evident by 1294, seem to be reflected in some of the imagery. This was the only confraternity in Florence not associated with a church, and this fact may have influenced the appearance of the monument. The tabernacle is adorned with precious lapis, gold, and glass inlay that creates a dazzling, luminous polychromy; it is particularly dense in the celestial realm, resulting in an even more striking effect. The intricate decoration parallels the opulent brocades found in contemporary painting, a taste that flourished during the International Gothic style era.