ANGEL OF THE ANNUNCIATION AFTER CARLO DOLCI 11612. THE ANGEL GABRIEL WITH LILIES, Italian, 17th-18th century. Oil on canvas. The Angel Gabriel is depicted holding Easter lilies, symbolic of Mary's purity, his right hand raised in annunciation. 22 x 28.5 inches. No visible signature. An important painting of exquisite beauty by a true old master. In need of cleaning and reframing. Provenance: An extensive North Eastern collection, acquired at an upscale estate sale in the 1980's. This painting is after an original by the great Italian Baroque painter Carlo Dolci (1616-1686) currently in the Musée du Louvre, Paris. This beautifully rendered copy may be by the school of Dolci himself or a slightly later copy. The painter of this version is so far unknown, but certainly ranks among the very finest. The Annunciation, in which the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary to announce she will conceive and become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God, is one of the most famous themes of Christian iconography. It has been celebrated in paintings by many of the world's most famous painters. Not currently for sale.