The Annunciation 1855

Dante Gabriel Rossetti painted this Annunciation, sometime in the 19th century, with crayon and pencil. We see Mary, standing in a stream, lilies at her feet, as the angel Gabriel, bathed in light, appears to her. The lily is the dominant symbol here, representing purity and the virginity of Mary. We see it not only growing at her feet but also in Gabriel's hand as a scepter of sorts. This flower is a motif that stretches back to ancient Crete, where priest-kings were depicted adorned with lilies, signifying divinity and power. The Annunciation theme itself, common in Renaissance art, is a moment pregnant with anticipation and destiny. The depiction of Mary at the stream, however, introduces us to the classical motif of the nymph or goddess, suggesting a kind of sacred intervention in the natural world. Notice the way the figures gaze at each other, conveying a sense of profound, shared understanding, as well as the emotional weight of this divine encounter. This image resonates with archetypal themes of spiritual awakening, purity, and the transformative power of the divine. It speaks to us through a visual language that has evolved over centuries, carrying with it the echoes of past beliefs and artistic expressions, and how these motifs have been cyclically reinterpreted.