New York City - Beginning December 15, 2007 and concluding on January 10, 2008 the Baroque Era painting, the “Annunciation” (1628) will be on exhibit in New York for the first time ever. Under the patronage of the President of the Italian Republic and from the people of Italy’s Marche Region, this prized oil on canvas by Guido Reni was originally painted for the chapel of Santa Maria della Carita, a church in Ascoli Piceno.

About the Annunciation
In Christianity, the Annunciation is the revelation to Mary, the mother of Jesus by the archangel Gabriel that she would conceive a child to be born the Son of God. Throughout history, many famous painters have depicted this moment, from Nicola Pisano in the Thirteenth Century to Leonardo DaVinci in the Fifteenth Century and Salvador Dali in the Twentieth, among others. Reni originally painted the “Annunciation” for the chapel of Santa Maria della Carità, a church in Ascoli Piceno built in 1629. The painting makes its home in the Ascoli Piceno Pinacoteca in the Region Marche, which is located on Italy's East coast, between the Adriatic and Apennines. A mosaic of ancient cities, rolling hills, dramatic mountains, hidden valleys and long, sandy beaches, the Marches region is considered an outstanding destination for its rich historical, artistic and cultural heritage. Unlike its neighbors Umbria and Tuscany, Le Marche is relatively undiscovered and remains unchanged by tourism.

It will be shown free to the public at La Galleria at The Italian Cultural Institute of New York, located at 686 Park Avenue (BETWEEN East 68^th &68^th Streets), New York, NY. La Galleria hours are 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays: December 17-21 & 27-28, 2007; January 2-4 & 7-9, 2008. Saturdays & Sundays: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm on December 15-16, 2007; January 5-6, 2008. Visitors may contact the Institute by phone at (212) 879-4242 or via the Internet at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .