Ludovico Carracci's Annunciation on loan from Bologna to Capodimonte as distinguished guest

From March 25 to June 15, 2025, the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte welcomes Ludovico Carracci ’s 1584Annunciation, which has come on loan from the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna as an illustrious guest.

In the painting, the Virgin is caught in the act of reading a prayer book when she is surprised by the angel, who hands her a lily and announces that God has become incarnate in her. The wooden kneeler, the wicker basket with embroidery, and the bed on the right, along with the perspective lines of the terracotta floor, give the episode a miraculous aura, while setting it in an essential space, reminiscent of the humble dwellings of Bologna at the time. Through the open window, the city towers can be glimpsed, while the dove of the Holy Spirit bursts into the scene. With a definite didactic intent, in full accord with the principles of the Council of Trent, Ludovico Carracci conceived this altarpiece in a horizontal format, intended not for a church but for the seat of a religious company. After the elaborate virtuosities of Mannerism, the artist proposes a clear and devout representation, aimed at encouraging the believer’s identification.

Ludovico Carracci’sAnnunciation is placed in dialogue on this exhibition occasionwith two works from the collections of the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte, from the same period and depicting the same iconographic theme, one by Scipione Pulzone and the other by Francesco Curia.

TheAnnunciation painted in 1587 by Scipione Pulzone visible in Room 6 (second floor) is an oil-on-canvas painting from the church of Sant’Angelo in Planciano (Gaeta) and signed by the author on the scroll of the kneeler. Here the Virgin, interrupted in her reading, hears the Archangel’s message and accepts the divine will. The simple setting, enhanced by a wicker chair and sewing tools, opens onto a landscape reminiscent of the Gulf of Gaeta, allowing the painter to bring the sacred episode closer to the viewer’s everyday life.

Another interpretation of the theme is offered by Francesco Curia, who painted his Annunciation for the church of Santa Maria di Monteoliveto in Naples between 1596 and 1597. The artist sets the scene under the elegant portico of a city street, using bright colors for the robes and paying precise attention to details, such as the veining of the marble or the brocade covering the lectern. His work reveals the influence of Flemish artists, whom Curia may have known during his stays in Naples and on his travels.

“After Rubens and Baglione, here is the third long-awaited guest of the month of March, which enriches even more the offerings of the Primavera dell’arte at Capodimonte: Ludovico Carracci, to whom we dedicate Room 6,” explains Director of the Capodimonte Museum and Real Bosco Eike Schmidt. “Visitors will find his celebrated Annunciation in dialogue with two Capodimonte works from the same period and on the same fundamental iconographic theme, one by Scipione Pulzone and the other by Francesco Curia. A welcome formula that of the Guest testifies to the constant dialogue with important Italian and international institutions and that is well suited, in conjunction with the works in the Reggia, to the need for agile, engaging exhibitions and comparisons designed to enhance our heritage.”

Ludovico Carracci's Annunciation on loan from Bologna to Capodimonte as distinguished guest

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