Annunciation

Today we celebrate the announcement of the incarnation by the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary; she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus. That means that Christmas is nine months (or so) away!

This year as I read about the Annunciation, I was taken with the variety of artistic depictions of Mary and Gabriel. Each one could be a study of the theology, history and male/female dynamic of the era in which it was painted.

I offer them to you to ponder and think of what your vision of that profound moment in human history might have looked like?

Philippe de Champaigne, 1694: Annunciation (Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC)

Simone Martini and Lippo Memm, 1333i: Annunciation. The angel visited Mary and announced she would give birth to the Messiah. The angel’s words can be seen emitting from his mouth: in Latin, Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. (Uffizi Gallery, Florence)

John Collier, 2000: Annunciation. (St. Gabriel’s, McKinney, Texas)