The Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci (505 Piece Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle)

At just 21, Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Annunciation, marking the start of his masterpieces.

The Annunciation captures a pivotal encounter: the Archangel Gabriel appears to Mary, announcing she will soon become a mother, all within the serene garden of a wealthy Tuscan villa from the 1400s. Gabriel holds a Madonna Lily, signifying Mary's purity, while soft morning light from the left side gently illuminates Mary's face. Beyond them, Leonardo depicted a bustling port city with ships and boats in the harbor, and distant rugged mountains glimpsed on the horizon. The intensity of Gabriel and Mary's exchanged gaze underlines the significance of this moment. Building on this scene, Leonardo's careful compositional choices offer further insights.

Continuing from his depiction of the pivotal scene, Leonardo, drawing from his own experience, painted Mary behind a lectern modeled after one from his teacher Andrea del Verrocchio’s workshop. Fresco Master Antonio De Vito from Friends of Artisans of Florence studied this painting for years and discovered one of its secrets. He noticed that the flowers and grass, both at the front and the back of the piece, are standing upright. Leonardo’s keen observation of nature becomes apparent as he chose to represent the precise moment Gabriel landed before Mary, creating a swirl of air that caused the flowers in front of him to twist into a spiral. This attention to detail connects with other scientific aspects of Leonardo’s artistry.

This connection between science and art is further illustrated by Leonardo's study of birds in flight. When the monks from the Church of San Bartolomeo, who had commissioned the painting, first visited to see his progress, they were surprised to find that Leonardo had originally depicted the Angel with an immense 14-foot wingspan. Leonardo later reduced Gabriel’s wings to satisfy the commission, though he likely was not pleased with the compromise. For Leonardo, science and art went hand in hand: his calculations showed that, for an angel to truly fly, its wings would need to be at least twelve meters wide (39 feet)—an idea reflected in his drawings and writings about flying machines. With these insights in mind, we can appreciate not just the beauty but also the ingenuity behind this masterpiece.

With this background, we believe this incredible piece of fine art translates into a wonderfully interesting wooden puzzle. Our designer has incorporated many Renaissance-inspired whimsies in a way we hope Leonardo himself would have appreciated.

The perfect gift for wooden jigsaw puzzlers, this traditional adult wooden jigsaw puzzle can be done repeatedly. Our wooden jigsaw puzzle artists have included many shaped whimsy wooden jigsaw puzzle pieces that match the theme of the painting, and we have integrated them in ways that will delight and surprise you as you put the wooden jigsaw puzzle together.

• Includes a Bonus Poster to Guide Assembly
• Number of Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces: 505
• Completed Puzzle Size: 19.5" X 8.5" Panoramic
• Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
• Serial #: NP26-505-925
• Wood Thickness: 4mm
• Design Cut Style: Modern
• Difficulty: Level 3
• Made in the USA
• Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle for Adults