Annunciation

A central woman in a floor-length red and gold robe stands with arms extended before a wall of red and pink roses, a white dove flying beneath her hands. She is flanked by six women in richly patterned gowns holding a mandolin, a flute, lilies, fruit, and jewelry, their peacock-patterned wings spreading behind them like an iconostasis. Peacocks and songbirds appear among flowers at their feet.

Saturated reds, blues, golds, and greens are laid on in flat, densely patterned areas recalling icon painting and folk ornament, with faces modeled more softly than the decorative costumes around them. Gold detailing and repeating rose motifs give the surface a jewel-like density. The symmetrical arrangement and steady gazes create a solemn, ceremonial atmosphere.