Bible in art · Luke

The Annunciation

Lucas van Leyden · c. 1516
National Gallery of Art, Washington

This is a tiny engraving, under 11 cm wide, made by Lucas van Leyden around 1516. Lines spread from the light above like rays, and the floor is laid in even strokes.

The angel Gabriel kneels at the left with a staff and raises his hand in greeting. Mary kneels at the right by a prayer desk. Between them stands a pot of lilies, and a dove flies in the light above her.

From the text

The angel Gabriel was sent to a virgin named Mary (Luke 1:26–27)
“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28)
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you” (Luke 1:35)

The artist’s own

A pot of lilies — painters often put lilies in this scene as a sign of Mary’s purity
A dove in a burst of light — the usual way painters showed the Holy Spirit
Mary kneeling at a prayer desk

Details

Gabriel

The winged angel kneels and raises his hand.

Mary

She kneels with her hands crossed, eyes lowered.

The lilies

A pot of lilies stands between them.

The dove

A dove flies in the light above.

Lucas van Leyden, Netherlandish, c. 1489/94–1533. National Gallery of Art, Washington (Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1999.103.2) · Engraving on laid paper · NGA Open Access: "Images of these works are available free of charge for any use, commercial or non-commercial, under Creative Commons Zero (CC0)." (NGA open data: published_images.csv openaccess = 1)

The verses

Luke 1:26–38In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

See it at the museum’s site