Annunciation 1467

"Annunciation" is a diptych by Early Netherlandish painter Hans Memling, completed in 1467. The work depicts the moment when the Angel Gabriel, a messenger of God, informs the Virgin Mary that she will bear the Son of God. The angel holds a lily, a symbol of purity, while Mary appears startled but receptive to the message, holding a book in her hands. The painting is currently on display at the Groeningemuseum in Bruges, Belgium, and is considered a significant example of Memling’s mastery of detail and realistic portrayal of human emotion, common characteristics of the Early Netherlandish school of painting.