How to Find the Remarkable Symbolism in this Italian Masterpiece

Decoding the annunciation painted by Carlo Crivelli

The Annunciation, with Saint Emidius (1486) by Carlo Crivelli. Oil on wood. 207 × 146.5 cm. National Gallery, London, UK. Image source Wikimedia Commons

There are many symbols in this ornate painting that capture its story. A ray of light bubbles up from the clouds in the sky and bursts forth into the street of an Italian town. It cuts through an aperture in a building and eventually touches the head of a woman in…