Mi Buhardilla...: January 2012

Annunciation - Simone Martini (Detail Angel)

Annunciation - Simone Martini (Detail Virgin)

Annunciation - Simone Martini - 1333

And she took a pot, and went out to draw water, and heard a voice saying unto her: "Hail thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee; thou art blessed among women". And she looked round to the right and to the left to see whence that voice came, and then trembling went into her house, and laying down the water pot, she took the purple, and sat down in her seat to work it.

And behold the angel of the Lord stood by her, and said: "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour in the sight of God".Which when she heard, she reasoned with herself what that sort of salutation meant.

And the angel said unto her: "The Lord is with thee, and thou shalt conceive".

To which she replied: "What! shall I conceive by the living God and bring forth as all other women do?"

But the angel returned answer: "Not so, Mary, but the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; Wherefore that which shall be born of thee shall be holy, and shall be called the Son of the Living God, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age. And this now is the sixth month with her, who was called barren: for nothing is impossible with God".

And Mary said: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be unto me according to thy word".

-- Protevangelion or Gospel of James (9:7-17)

14th. Century:

The Annunciation - Bartolo di Fredi - 1383

Icon of Annunciation - Church of St Climent in Ohrid - 14th. c.

Annunciation with Saints - Veneziano Lorenzo - 1371

15th. Century:

Annunciation - Gentile da Fabriano - 1425

The Merode Altar Piece - Robert Campin - 1425

The Merode Altar Piece - Robert Campin (Detail)

Fra Angelico:

The Annunciation - Fra Angelico - 1426

The Annunciation - Fra Angelico (Detail)

Annunciation - Fra Angelico - 1434

The Annunciation - Fra Angelico - 1440

Annunciation to the Virgin - Fra Angelico - 1446

Annunciation and Unicorns?

Not that an angel entered (mark this)

was she startled. Little as other start

when a ray of sun or the moon by night

busies itself about their room,

would she have been disturbed by the shape

in which an angel went;

she scarcely guessed that this sojourn

is irksome for angels.

O if we knew how pure she was.

Did not a hind, that recumbent once espied her in the wood

So lose itself in looking that in it

quite without pairing

The unicorn begot itself!

The creature of light

The pure creature.

Not that he entered, but that he,

the angel, so bent close to her

a youth’s face that his gaze and that

with which she looked up struck together,

as though outside it were suddenly all empty

and what millions saw, did, bore,

were crowded into them: just she and he;

seeing and what is seen, eye and

eye’s delight

nowhere else save at this spot--lo;

this is startling. And they were

startled both.

Then the angel sang his melody.

-- Rainier Maria Rilke

Annunciation (as the hunt of the unicorn) - Erfurt Dom Tafelbild -1420

Annunciation (as the hunt of the unicorn) - Weimar Schlossmuseum

Annunciation (as the hunt of the Unicorn) Friesach Dr-W-Horn

Al sexto mes el ángel Gabriel fue enviado por Dios a una ciudad de Galilea, llamada Nazaret,
a una virgen desposada con un varón que se llamaba José, de la casa de David; y el nombre de la virgen era María.

Y entrando el ángel en donde ella estaba, dijo: "Salve, muy favorecida! El Señor es contigo; bendita tú entre las mujeres". Mas ella, cuando le vio, se turbó por sus palabras, y pensaba qué salutación sería esta.

Entonces el ángel le dijo: "María, no temas, porque has hallado gracia delante de Dios.
Y ahora, concebirás en tu vientre, y darás a luz un hijo, y llamarás su nombre JESÚS. Este será grande, y será llamado Hijo del Altísimo; y el Señor Dios le dará el trono de David su padre; y reinará sobre la casa de Jacob para siempre, y su reino no tendrá fin".

Entonces María dijo al ángel: "¿Cómo será esto? pues no conozco varón".

Respondiendo el ángel, le dijo: "El Espíritu Santo vendrá sobre ti, y el poder del Altísimo te cubrirá con su sombra; por lo cual también el Santo Ser que nacerá, será llamado Hijo de Dios. Y he aquí tu parienta Elisabet, ella también ha concebido hijo en su vejez; y este es el sexto mes para ella, la que llamaban estéril; porque nada hay imposible para Dios".

Entonces María dijo: "He aquí la sierva del Señor; hágase conmigo conforme a tu palabra".

Y el ángel se fue de su presencia.

-- Lucas (1:26-38) - Reina Valera 1960

The Angel and the Virgin of Annunciation - Bicci di Lorenzo - 1434

Annunciation - Roger van der Weyden - 1440

Annunciation - Master Of The Aix -1445

Fra Filippo Lippi:

The Annunciation - Fra Filippo Lippi - 1450

Annunciation - Filippo Lippi - 1450

The Annunciation Wih Two Kneeling Donors - Fra Filippo Lippi -1455

Leonardo:

Annunciazione - Leonardo and Verrocchio - 1472

Annunciazione - Leonardo and Verrocchio - Detail of Angel

Annunciazione - Leonardo and Verrocchio - Detail of Bible

Annunciazione - Leonardo and Verrocchio - Detail of Virgin

Annunciation - Hans Memeling - 1470

Annunciation - Hans Memling - 1489

Annunziata - Antonello da Messina - 1475

Annunziata - Antonello de Messina (Detail)

JOSEPH therefore went from Judaea to Galilee, with intention to marry the Virgin who was betrothed to him;
For it was now near three months since she was betrothed to him.
At length it plainly appeared she was with child, and it could not be hid from Josep.
For going to the Virgin in a free manner, as one espoused, and talking familiarly with her, he perceived her to be with child,
And thereupon began to be uneasy and doubtful, not knowing what course it would be best to take;
For being a just man, he was not willing to expose her, nor defame her by the suspicion of being a harlot, since he was a pious man:
He purposed therefore privately to put an end to their agreement, and as privately to send her away.

But while he was meditating these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, and said, Joseph, son of David, fear not;
Be not willing to entertain any suspicion of the Virgin's being guilty of fornication, or to think any thing amiss of her, neither be afraid to take her to wife:
For that which is begotten in her and now distresses your mind, is not the work of man, but the Holy Ghost.
For she of all women is that only Virgin who shall bring forth the Son of God, and you shall call his name Jesus, that is, Saviour: for he will save his people from their sins.
Joseph thereupon, according to the command of the angel, married the Virgin, and did not know her, but kept her in chastity.

Gospel of the Birth of Mary by Matthew (8:1-12)