About the Image:
The Annunciation is an intriguing event described in the Gospel of Luke 1:26-38. The painting depicts the Virgin Mary seated on a bench, reading the scriptures, while the archangel Gabriel appears on the right holding a staff with a cross. He asks the Virgin Mary to accept the conception of Christ in her womb. The painting shows the Virgin Mary wearing a red shirt with blue robes that flow and wrinkle halfway across the floor. The lilies in front of the desk she sits at could symbolize Saint Joseph or purity. Her uncovered brown curly hair is unusual for a Jewish woman of that time period. Gabriel also has brown curly hair and is wearing robes with intricate golden details. His wings are blue, red, and white and resemble peacock feathers. In the background, there are details of the city wall and a garden, where a woman is pruning some bushes and a man is heading out of town through the city gate.
About the Artist:
Hans Memling was a Flemish painter who lived in the 15th century. He is known for his religious paintings and altarpieces, which often featured delicate details and vivid colors. Flemish refers to the people and culture of Flanders, a region in northern Europe that includes parts of Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Altarpieces are large paintings or sculptures that are displayed behind the altar in a church or chapel.
