Sicily's churches and palazzi bear exceptional witness to the exuberant genius of Baroque art. From the early 17th century onwards, their interiors were adorned with an unparalleled profu-sion of marble, frescoes, stuccos and sculptures. Designed to elicit a strong emotional response and transport people into the mystery of faith and devotion, these sculptures are distinguished by their theatricality, dramatic expressiveness and dynamism. This exceptional wooden Annunciation, with its sumptuous damask robes gleaming with gold, is a rare example on the art market of this Sicilian monumental sculpture, which can usually only be appreciated in situ, in the island's churches and private chapels. It reinterprets with grace and sensitivity the artistic legacy of the most influential of the Renaissance sculptor dynasties, the Gaginis, taking its inspiration from certain compositions by one of its most talented repre-sentatives, Antonello Gagini, but also from the softness of the faces in his sculptures and the way he drapes his figures. In his quest for intensity, our sculptor transcends this heritage by infusing his group with a dynamism and decorative aspect found in some rare Sicilian woodcarvings made between the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. By bringing to life this key period in Sicilian sculpture, which at the dawn of the 17th century, spurred on by the daring legacy of the Gaginis, left the Renaissance behind and turned towards the new Baroque forms, this exceptional Annunciation offers enthusiasts a glimpse into a secret area of the history of European sculpture. Sumptuous and intense, it is a vibrant testimony to the religious and artistic fervour that inspired its patron, a member of the local aristocracy.
