Generously sponsored In Honor of Patricia Lovejoy.

Born in Venice around 1430 and documented as an active painter there since 1449, Lazzaro Bastiani’s early work reflects the influence of Andrea del Castagno, highlighting the impact of the Florentine master’s frescoes in the church of San Zaccaria (1442–1443) on Venetian painters. As his career progressed, Bastiani embraced the stylistic approaches of some of the greatest artists of his time, including Andrea Mantegna, Bartolomeo Vivarini, and, most significantly, Gentile Bellini.

The Annunciation in the Correr Museum, painted on panel and generally dated to 1480–1485, belongs to the later phase of Bastiani’s career and bears his signature (“LAZARVS BASTIANI”) on the foreground margin of the platform where the miraculous event unfolds. The painting captures the moment when the Archangel Gabriel, entering from the left, announces to Mary that she has been chosen to bear the Son of God. On the opposite side, the Virgin kneels before an exquisitely inlaid prie-dieu, her arms crossed over her chest in a gesture of humble acceptance. Above them, at the center of the sky, God the Father appears encircled by divine light, releasing the Holy Spirit and His Son, who descend toward Mary in a golden, supernatural beam—visually embodying the moment of the Incarnation.

Bastiani’s composition clearly reflects the influence of the High Renaissance Tuscan approach to linear perspective. He stages the scene on a paved city platform that extends into a cultivated countryside, with a fortified structure and villages dotting the shores of a distant lake. His use of linear perspective is remarkably precise, with all parallel lines converging at a single vanishing point on the horizon, while the overall composition remains meticulously balanced through careful symmetry.

In the foreground, various animals animate and enliven the otherwise highly controlled setting of the Annunciation. Their presence, however, is far from merely decorative; instead, they serve as symbolic elements, drawing from medieval bestiaries. One striking example is the parrot perched on the stone parapet behind the Virgin. Believed to have the natural ability to utter the word Ave—the greeting spoken by the Annunciating Archangel—the parrot was widely regarded as a symbol of purity. It was also frequently associated with the Immaculate Conception, reinforcing the theme of divine conception that Bastiani sought to depict. Between the two central figures, a helmeted guineafowl, a recognized symbol of charity, strides toward the Virgin Mary, visually affirming her role as the ultimate embodiment of compassion and love. Furthermore, in the lower left foreground, a goldfinch perches delicately, its presence rich with symbolic weight. Since the 13th century, this small yet significant bird has been linked to Christ’s Passion, believed to have plucked a thorn from His brow during the Crucifixion. Here, Bastiani uses it as a poignant reminder that the miracle of the Incarnation is inseparably bound to the sacrifice of the Cross—an elegant foreshadowing of Christ’s destiny.

The painting exhibits areas of lifting and flaking paint across the panel, accompanied by some losses to the pictorial surface. These adhesion issues likely stem from the rigidity of the wooden backing, which over time has compromised the stability of the painted surface. Conservation treatment will first address the structural weaknesses of the wooden support. Once stabilized, attention will turn to the painting’s surface, where conservators will meticulously consolidate the lifting and flaking paint, as well as reintegrate pictorial losses to restore the visual harmony and continuity.

Lazzaro Bastiani (c. 1430 – 1512)
Annunciation
c. 1480s, tempera on panel

Arslan, Edoardo. Bastiani, Lazzaro. In Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, 7. Rome: Istituto della enciclopedia italiana, 1970, pp. 167-169. Link to the Article

Dorigato, Attilia (ed.). Carpaccio, Bellini, Tura, Antonello e altri restauri quattrocenteschi della Pinacoteca del Museo Correr. Milan: Electa, 1993