The Annunciation Advent Calendar

The Annunciation Triptych by Robert Campin is in the Cloisters Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. The Advent calendar illustrated by Campin's masterpiece was the 1999 winner of the prestigious Louie Award in international competition sponsored by the Greeting Card Association. Painted about 1425, The Annunciation is a masterpiece of late-medieval painting. The biblical scene, in which the archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will become the mother of Jesus, is set in a snug, crowded chamber, typical of houses of wealthy fifteenth-century merchants. Ingelbrecht of Mechelen, who commissioned the triptych, is shown in the left-hand panel with his wife. Joseph is shown in his carpentry shop on the right. The painting's vibrant colors, dramatic composition, and rich symbolism have fascinated viewers into our own time. Just as striking are Campin's innovative use of perspective, his attention to detail, and his enthusiastic celebration of everyday objects. Open each of the twenty-four windows on the back panel of the triptych, one for every day in December until Christmas, and discover how Campin told of the Annunciation by placing it in the everyday world of his own time.

The Advent calendar measures 10 x 10 when closed and 20 x 10 when opened. It comes in a resealable poly bag.