Resumen de Van Eyck's Washington Annunciation: Narrative Time and Metaphoric Tradition

Carol J. Purtle

• As an attempt to relate the recently discovered compositional stages of Jan van Eyck’s Annunciation in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., to the development of the artist’s final iconographic program, this article builds on the technical findings of Melanie Gifford and the staff of the National Gallery (see preceding article). The initial metaphoric construct of van Eyck’s church building is found to be unique in his oeuvre. His subsequent revisions appear designed to add important historical and theological dimensions to the viewer’s perception of the Annunciation event.