CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART, Episode #3 of 33: GABRIEL'S AMAZING NEWS FOR MARY, Part 1

[Hebrews 11:6]

CHRISTMAS BIBLE-ART EPISODE #3 of 33

GABRIEL'S
AMAZING NEWS
FOR MARY

L U K E
CHAPTER 1

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went 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. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child 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 will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “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. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

“I AM THE LORD’S SERVANT,” Mary answered. “MAY IT BE TO ME AS YOU HAVE SAID.” Then the angel left her.

1
AUGUSTE PICHON
"The Annunciation"

2
JEN NORTON
"The Annunciation"

3
HENRY OSSAWA TANNER
"The Annunciation"

4
BILL BELL
"Hail Mary"

5
MIKE MOYERS
"The Annunciation"

6
GIOVANNI ODAZZI
"The Annunciation"

7
WILLIAM BRASSEY HOLE
"The Annunciation"

8
LEONARDO DA VINCI
"The Annunciation"

9
BARTOLOME ESTEBAN MURILLO
"The Annunciation"

10
SVITOZAR NENYUK
"Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary"

11
JOHN WILLIAM WATERHOUSE
"The Annunciation"

12
FRANK PICKFORD MARRIOTT
"The Annunciation"

13
ANDREEA BAGIU
"The Annunciation"

14
FRANCOIS LEMOYNE
"The Annunciation"

15
BENEDETTO BONFIGLI
"The Annunciation"

16
EL GRECO
"The Annunciation"

17
EL GRECO
"The Annunciation"

18
EL GRECO
"The Annunciation"

19
SANDRO BOTTICELLI
"Annunciation"

20
SANDRO BOTTICELLI
"Annunciation"

21
ZANOBI STROZZI
"Annunciation"

22
GERARD DAVID
"The Annunciation"

23
GIROLAMO DA SANTACROCE
"The Annunciation"

24
TITIAN
"The Annunciation"

25
FRANCESCO SOLIMENA
"The Annunciation"

26
JAN PROVOOST
"Annunciation"

27
MATTHIAS STOM
"The Annunciation"

28
JODI SIMMONS
"Annunciation"

29
PHILIPPE DE CHAMPAIGNE
"The Annunciation"

30
LUIS JUAREZ
"The Annunciation"

→ a n d... f i n a l l y ←

31
EDWARD COLEY BURNE-JONES
"The Annunciation"

To be continued…

New International Version ©1984, EMPHASES Added
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[Hebrews 11:6]

EPISODE #3 OF 33

LINKS TO PREVIOUS EPISODES:
#1—JESUS’ VERY INTERESTING GENEALOGY
#2--GABRIEL'S AMAZING NEWS FOR ZECHARIAH

[Hebrews 11:6]

A R C H I V E S
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P I N G   L I S T
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[Repeal The 17th]

Love the facial expression some of these artist’s put on Mary’s face!
“Who me? Are you sure you have the right Mary?”

(and one guy apparently thought Mary was a “cat lady”)

[crusty old prospector]

I like #27 by Matthias Stom. I don’t think angels have wings like depicted by most.

[stars & stripes forever]

Happy to see you are posting Bible-Art on Free Republic again, Dan.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks, Debbie. Happy to be doing it.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Love the facial expression some of these artist’s put on Mary’s face! “Who me? Are you sure you have the right Mary?”

And since that appears to have been her inward reaction, they got it right.

[etabeta]

Many worthy artists. Tanner (#3); Waterhouse (#11); Stom (#27) stand out for me.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I agree with you. Speaking from personal experience, the angels who rescued me one day had no wings. As much as anything, slapping a pair of wings onto the depiction of an angel just seems to be as an identifier, a way of labeling this as an angel.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Two more days of this subject, Alba. It’s such a nice quiet scene, but filled with the most serious portent....

[Mathews]

Why was Gabriel depicted as a woman? Several times.

[spankalib]

#23 - GIROLAMO DA SANTACROCE

Notice the triangular geometry? Pretty cool...

...also, honestly, it gets my 'funny bone' a little - seeing the shining baby floating down.

*chuckles*

[Hebrews 11:6]

That's a visualization of the Son being Emmanueled. There are very few artists who've attempted it. We'll keep watch the next two days to see if we can spot any others.

[Maudeen]

Love the large print Scripture at the beginning. I use the “read aloud” feature as well . . .to really focus.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thank you, Pat. Heard from your sis, above.

Merry Christmas to both of you!

[lee martell]

No. 6 by Gionvanni Odagi is my favorite.
His use of lighting, hierarchy, and sense of Mary’s spiritual transformation create a near breathtaking appearance.
How I wish I could paint like that, showing depth and volume w/o impasto tinting, w/o artificial outlines. Nothing is overdone or heavyhanded.

The swoosh of grandeur fascinates, mystifies and humbles.
Many pieces of music would go well with this piece.
What that brings to mind now, would be a work by
Phillp Glass, called “Vessels”. Somewhat like Gregorian Chants counterbalanced with the calls of a Hopi Indian Shaman.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks, Lee, for carrying us with you in your reaction to that evocative work.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Why was Gabriel depicted as a woman? Several times.

As I mull it, I don't recall ever seeing an artistic rendition of an angel with a beard, even one that is close-cropped. Inasmuch as it is understood they do not marry in heaven, there seems to be unanimity in not portraying them as being manly.

[Campion]

Angels are pure spirits and aren’t male or female. They are usually portrayed artistically as sort of androgenous young men. That’s of course just a convention.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I agree entirely—although I will note that when they do appear in our physical world, they seem to have tremendous ability to adopt a very wide range of guises, not limited to quasi-human.