The Annunciation Moscow School, 14th century. Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow The Annunciation theme had been well established in icon painting and could be traced, like many other themes, to the traditional Byzantine prototypes. One of the most admired icons of this type, The Annunciation of Ustyug (Novgorod, 1110-30, shown on the right) demonstrates how closely the early Russian icons preserved the Byzantine heritage, while infusing it with a new Russian style. In this Annunciation the composition is more monumental than in its 14th century Muscovite version. The Angel and Mary are strong, uncompromising figures who seem to speak directly to the viewer; here the impact is immediate and forceful. While the figures may lack some of the later icon's movement, they are, nevertheless, equally impressive in their monumentality and spirituality. The angel seems to resemble ancient statues, and its facial features, hair, and the flowing garments make us think of classical antiquity. [B.B.] http://www.rollins.edu/Foreign_Lang/Russian/annunc.html