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BOTTICELLI, Sandro
Cestello Annunciation
1489-90
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence |
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’
But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the
Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.
He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’
Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’
The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be
born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.
And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a
son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.
For nothing will be impossible with God.’
Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me
according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.
(Luke 1:26-38)
Soon after receiving the angel's message, Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, and prays one of the greatest prayers in the Scriptures.
Magnificat
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior,
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your Name.
You have mercy on those who fear you
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm,
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones,
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel,
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
(Luke 1:46-55)
In Botticeli's painting, Mary seems to be recoiling from the angel, which makes me wonder about the artist's intention. (Botticelli is not alone in depicting Mary shrinking away.) Does he suggest that Mary recoils from the very sight of the angel, or is she shrinking from the message brought by the angel that she will be the mother of the Son of God? Does Mary think, "Oh no! Please, not me, " before she reflects and says, "...let it be with me
according to your word"?
Tobias Haller posted his own lovely poem on the Annunciation, which suggests that Mary saw no angel at all. Along with the poem is a beautiful icon of the Madonna and Child, written in his own hand.
Image from the Web Gallery of Art.
