Click pic for larger versionDante Gabrile Rossetti's Ecce Ancilla Domini (aka The Annunciation) was painted in 1850, and is thus one of the earliest Pre-Raphaelite paintings. The model for Mary is Rossetti's sister, the poet Christina Rossetti.
As so often in Rossetti's paintings, the perspective is rather weird. But the highly emotional portrayal of Mary makes it a stunning picture, one of Rossetti's best actually.
It is also, as often is the case with Pre-Raphaelite pictures, rather small: 73 x 41,9 cm.
Ecce Ancilla Domini is owned by Tate Gallery. The Victorian Web has an interesting analysis.
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