Annunciation

Barocci painted this Annunciation for the chapel of his patron, Francesco Maria II della Rovere, duke of Urbino, in the Basilica of Loreto between the years 1582 and 1584. In 1797 the altarpiece was seized by French troops and transferred to Paris, where it remained until 1815. Probably because of damage caused on its journey to Paris, the panel was first placed on a cloth base, but since this proved too light in weight, it became necessary to transfer it onto a stronger canvas.

Many copies of the painting are known to exist, they were produced by re-utilization of the same preparatory drawing, either by Barocci himself or by his workshop.