Annunciation (early 16th century)
Malozzo da Forli
Pantheon, Rome, Italy
Fresco
approximately 3ft by 6ft
The Pantheon, home to Malozzo da Forli's Annunciation, demonstrates a great deal about ancient Roman culture. This gargantuan structure, originally a pagan temple, seems to dwarf the surrounding buildings. The size and majesty of the Pantheon perfectly demonstrates the Romans' love of power. They highly valued the power and majesty of the state and the empire, and they built grandiose buildings to proclaim the grandeur of the empire. Another ancient Roman attribute can be seen in the columns supporting the front porch of the church. These columns came from Egypt to adorn the Pantheon's portico; an Egyptian obelisk is placed in the square in front of the Pantheon. Using Egyptian objects in the design of a great Roman temple recognized Rome's mastery over what was previously one of the greatest powers in the world. In addition, the oculus, a hole in the ceiling with a diameter of 27 feet, is an engineering triumph that exemplifies the "adopt and adapt" principle. The builders of the Pantheon took current dome technology and made it larger, sturdier, and more fantastic. Although this structure was built originally to honor the Roman gods, this fresco depicts a specifically Christian image. While this may seem confusing, this fresco is much younger, and is a testimony to how, ironically, many centuries after the Pantheon was built, early Christians adopted it and adapted it into a Christian church; it continues in that function to the modern day.
Resources
Ramage, Nancy H. and Andrew Ramage. Roman Art (Fourth Edition). Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Print. pp 219-222.
http://www.monolithic.com/stories/the-pantheon-rome-126-ad
Photo taken from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annunciation_Melozzo_da_Forli_Pantheon.jpg
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