3-051-580 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

The Annunciation, c1518. Additional Info: Through a richly ornamented architectural frame we see the Virgin Mary kneeling in her bedchamber in front of a small altar with a book opened up. Turning toward the angel floating down behind her, she piously crosses her hands and lowers her eyes. The Virgin is depicted here as an upper-class woman dressed in a sumptuous, blue cape with violet sleeves, while the radiant halo encircling her head indicates her sanctity. The angel is clad in a pearl-inlaid vestment and holds a sceptre in his hand. The dove hovering above the Virgin’s head symbolizes God’s presence and the Immaculate Conception. We are witnessing the moment the angel Gabriel tells her that she will give birth to the Son of God. The Virgin humbly accepts and praises the announcement, as described in Luke 1:38: "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." The lilies in the foreground symbolize the Virgin’s purity and the Immaculate Conception.