Praying the Angelus with Art: This Week's Image

As the curtain falls on 2018, this Annunciation by Francisco de Zurbarán hints that a curtain is rising on a new year, which we will enter with Mary. The painting is from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Happy New Year!

Praying the Angelus with Art: This Week's Image

In this bas-relief from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, God the Father is seen literally breathing forth the Holy Spirit upon Mary as her open hands express her receptivity: "Be it done to me according to your word." Clearly, as Gabriel had said: "the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God."
Merry Christmas!

Praying the Angelus with Art: This Week's Image

According to Wikipedia, this "Annunciation Triptych is an oil-on-panel triptych by the Netherlandish artist Rogier van der Weyden, dating from around 1434. It was originally formed by three panels, the central one being now at The Louvre museum in Paris, France; the side panels are at the Galleria Sabauda of Turin, northern Italy."

The right panel depicts the Visitation, the Gospel for December 21.

Praying the Angelus with Art: This Week's Image

The Annunciation appears within the illuminated letter R on this manuscript page (from the Morgan Library and Museum). The text and chant notation is from the Advent antiphon, Rorate coeli: "Drop down dew from above, you heavens and let the clouds rain the Just One. Let the earth be opened and salvation bud forth."

Praying the Angelus with Art: This Week's Image

For the first week of Advent, a lovely Annunciation by the Florentine artist Zanobi Strozzi, a student (?) and collaborator of the incomparable Fra Angelico. From the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.