Tag: Annunciation

Albrecht Dürer: Bestseller and Piracy

Albrecht Dürer: Bestseller and Piracy

16th century copyright protection

Last October I was in Nuremberg, Germany, the city where Albrecht Dürer (1471 – 1528) was born and lived. One can visit the Dürerhaus, where he worked and resided from 1509 until his death. This visit inspired me to look more closely at Dürer’s life and work, especially his woodcut series. Among these, Life of the Virgin stands out as an excellent example: a cycle of twenty prints, sold both individually and published as a book with corresponding Latin verses. It became a bestseller already during Dürer’s lifetime, not only in Germany, but across Europe. And, inevitably, it was also widely copied, often without Dürer’s permission.

Self-portrait (1498), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), 52x41cm, Prado, Madrid.

We will look more closely at the Life of the Virgin series and explore how Dürer tried to protect his artistic rights and defend his name against the flood of “fake Dürers” that appeared in its wake. We will then follow the complete series itself, which unfolds like a comic-book narrative about the Virgin Mary, her parents Anna and Joachim, and, of course, her son Jesus Christ.

Let’s explore as follows:

Dürer: artist and business man

Albrecht Dürer was not only a master artist but also a businessman. His prints reached buyers all over Europe through a clever distribution system, with his wife even selling them at trade fairs such as Frankfurt. Prints were a steady source of income, and Dürer offered works in a wide range of styles and price points.

Among the most ambitious of these projects was Life of the Virgin, a cycle of twenty woodcuts first published individually and later as a book in Nuremberg in 1511. Each image was paired with Latin verses by Benedictus Chelidonius, a learned Benedictine monk, also from Nuremberg. The combination of Dürer’s monumental images with humanist poetry gave the series the dignity of a richly illustrated devotional book.

Fake prints

But his success also came with frustrations: new works were copied almost immediately, sometimes crudely, but often in high-quality versions that were difficult to distinguish from the originals. Some even bore his famous AD monogram, used as both trademark and signature, to pass as genuine Dürers.

Dürer’s AD monogram, detail from the Meeting of Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate (1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Look at the two following prints: the original woodcut by Dürer and the exact copy made by Marcantonio Raimondi as an engraving, even including Dürer’s AD monogram. Raimondi produced his copy three years after Dürer published the original.

Left: Dürer’s original c.1503. Annunciation to the Virgin from “The Life of the Virgin”, Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.
Right: Raimondi’s copy c.1506 including the “AD” trademark. Annunciation to the Virgin from “The Life of the Virgin”, Engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi (Italian, c.1470 – c.1527), after a woodblock print by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), 29x21cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.

Copies flourished north and south of the Alps. Some bore fake monograms, others carefully erased Dürer’s signature, or replaced it with a crude imitation. Ironically, this wave of imitation only spread his fame further. In this sense, Dürer’s imagery became part of a wider visual language of the time, endlessly adapted and reinterpreted. Yet Dürer’s efforts to protect his work mark him out as one of the first artists to confront what we now call copyright. Dürer was keenly aware that his art was not only spiritual and aesthetic, but also a commercial product in the bustling market of Renaissance Europe.

The Life of the Virgin cycle’s popularity made it a prime target for counterfeiters. The renaissance art-writer Giorgio Vasari (Italian, 1511 – 1574) later recounted how the Italian engraver Marcantonio Raimondi (c.1470 – c.1527) copied the entire Life of the Virgin in engraving, even adding Dürer’s monogram. According to Vasari, Dürer pursued the matter in Venice and won a ruling forbidding Raimondi to use his mark. Whether or not Vasari embroidered the story, it reflects a real concern: Dürer’s name and monogram were being exploited, and he took active steps to defend them. His colophon to the 1511 edition of Life of the Virgin is a warning against pirated copies, and shows a remarkably modern awareness of intellectual property and artistic rights.

Anti-piracy colophon in Latin (1511) on the print nr. 20: Glorification of the Virgin from “Life of the Virgin”, Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, sheet 44x31cm, block 30x21cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Dürer’s anti-piracy colophon is phrased as a severe warning to anyone who dared to copy his prints. Translated from Latin, it reads like a threat, and is strikingly laid out in a triangular form on the final sheet of the Life of the Virgin series. Here it is, and shiver while reading the last paragraph!

Printed in Nuremberg by the painter Albrecht Dürer, in the year of Christ 1511.

Woe to you, thief of another’s labor and skill! Do not dare to lay your reckless hands upon these works. Know that the most glorious Roman Emperor Maximilian has granted us the right that no one may presume to print these images from false blocks, or to sell them throughout the bounds of the Empire.
If, driven by arrogance or by greed, you do so, then be certain of this: after the confiscation of your goods, you will have to face the gravest peril without escape.

Dürer’s trip to Venice seems to have had some effect, especially when combined with the anti-piracy colophon he added to the final page of the Life of the Virgin series. Marcantonio Raimondi, who had previously copied these entire series and even reproduced Dürer’s “AD” monogram, now approached Dürer’s work more cautiously. When he later engraved another series after Dürer (the Small Passion series), Marcantonio copied every detail with his usual precision, except the monogram. In these later prints the space where Dürer placed his “AD” trademark is left conspicuously blank. Compare these two images from the Small Passion series: Dürer’s original, proudly bearing his monogram, and Raimondi’s meticulous copy, identical in all respects but stripped of Dürer’s AD monogram.

Left: Dürer’s original with the “AD” trademark. Christ standing before Herod, from “The Small Passion” (1509), Woodblock print by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), 13x10cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Right: Raimondi’s copy without the “AD” trademark. Christ standing before Herod, from “The Small Passion” (c.1511), Engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi (Italian, c.1470 – c.1527), after a woodblock print by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), 13x10cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Life of the Virgin

Having spoken about Dürer’s efforts to protect his copyright, let’s now look at the Life of the Virgin series itself. Conceived as a cycle of twenty woodcuts — nineteen narrative scenes plus a frontispiece — it traces the Virgin Mary’s story from the rejection of her father Joachim’s offering in the Temple to her Assumption and Glorification in heaven. Dürer began the series around 1501 and published it a decade later, in 1511, as a complete book. Each image was paired with Latin verses written by Benedictus Chelidonius, a Benedictine monk and humanist poet from Dürer’s own city. Together, image and text created a carefully balanced combination of visual devotion and humanist learning, intended for a cultivated audience of merchants, clerics, and scholars.

Image and Text; Dürer and Chelidonius

Benedictus Chelidonius (c. 1460–1521), a humanist scholar and Benedictine monk from the monastery of St. Egidius in Nuremberg provided the Latin verses that accompany the Life of the Virgin series. Chelidonius belonged to the circle of learned churchmen who sought to merge humanist literary style with devotional themes, while remaining firmly rooted in the Catholic tradition. This was no small matter: by 1511 Luther’s Reformation was already knocking loudly at Nuremberg’s doors. In my view, Dürer’s imagery for Life of the Virgin adheres closely to Catholic tradition, not so much as a protest against the Reformation, but out of pragmatic awareness. As a skilled tradesman, he understood that more traditional devotional images would continue to sell well in regions less touched by reformist ideas, especially in Catholic countries such as Italy.

Life of the Virgin as published in 1511, prints by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528) and text verses by Benedictus Chelidonius (German, c.1460 – 1521), Kunstsammlungen der Stadt Nürnberg, Germany. This is the page with the Flight into Egypt.

Chelidonius’ poems retell the Virgin’s life with a mixture of biblical narrative and rhetorical flourish. Dürer sought to dignify his art with humanist eloquence and the authority of the written word, and Chelidonius’ text dramatized and deepened the episodes shown in the prints.

An example of text and image; Joachim’s offer rejected in the Temple.

2. Joachim’s offering in the Temple is rejected (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

In Dürer’s print, the old priest thrusts Joachim’s sacrifice away with an unmistakable gesture of condemnation. Chelidonius heightens this visual drama with a scathing Latin rebuke, placing words in the mouth of the High Priest that leave no doubt about the seriousness of Joachim’s “crime”: childlessness. The verse does not merely explain the scene, it intensifies its emotional and moral charge.

Text verse by Benedictus Chelidonius (c. 1460–1521), published in 1511, opposite the page with Durer’s woodblock print Joachim’s offering in the Temple is rejected (c.1504), Albertina, Vienna.

Here is line 17-21, in Latin and the translation; pretty harsh!

Infecunde senex, audes qua fronte feraces
inter conventus ire sub ora Dei?
I, sterili te condere domo, vir inutilis! Odit
coniugium frigens et sine fruge polus.
“Barren old man, with what face do you dare
to stand among the fruitful in the sight of God?
Go, hide yourself in your sterile house, useless husband!
Heaven itself despises a cold and fruitless marriage.”

These four lines condense the theological, moral, and human dimensions of the scene. They make clear that Chelidonius was not content simply to accompany Dürer’s images with decorative poetry. Rather, his verses work as a deliberate dramatic counterpoint, drawing the reader deeper into the emotional world of the Life of the Virgin series. In this way, Chelidonius and Dürer together transform Joachim’s humiliation into a vivid meditation on faith, obedience, and divine purpose.

Life of the Virgin; the 20 woodcuts

The 1511 edition was remarkable not only for its art but also for its modern design. It reflects Dürer’s awareness of both aesthetics and marketing. His aim was to elevate the woodcut from a humble popular medium to the level of fine art. At the same time, the book’s devotional subject and refined presentation ensured wide appeal, making it one of the most sought-after print series of the early sixteenth century.

Frontispiece: The Virgin on a Crescent Moon

1. Frontispiece, the Virgin on a Crescent Moon (c.1510), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 34x22cm, Albertina, Vienna.

The series opens with a radiant image of Mary sitting on a crescent moon, a symbol of her Immaculate Conception, pure and untouched by sin from her birth. Dürer blends several motifs here: the Virgin’s regal dignity with a crown of stars, and her gentle motherly presence by nursing her baby Jesus. The composition sets the tone for the entire cycle, presenting Mary as both approachable and exalted.

The Rejection of Joachim’s Offering in the Temple

2. Joachim’s offering in the Temple is rejected (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

The story begins harshly. The aged Joachim, husband of Anna and father-to-be of Mary, presents his offering at the Temple, a lamb and a small cage of birds, but the High Priest turns him away, rejecting his devotion due to Joachim’s childlessness. They judge him unworthy in the eyes of God, because he and Anna have no children. Dürer shows the moment of humiliation vividly, the priest pushes back the old man’s gift, while bystanders whisper. Hurt and ashamed, Joachim leaves Jerusalem and heads into the wilderness, convinced he has failed his family and his faith.

The Angel Appears and Annunciation to Joachim 

3. The angel appears and Annunciation to Joachim (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Joachim, dejected and wandering in the wilderness, is visited by an angel who brings a divine promise. The angel tells him his wife Anna will conceive a child through divine grace. Dürer fills the landscape with a sense of sudden tenderness: the old man kneels, overwhelmed, as the heavenly visitor leans toward him with reassurance. The encounter transforms despair into hope.

The Meeting of Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate

4. Meeting of Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate (1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Meanwhile, Anna receives the same message from another angel, and she hurries toward Jerusalem’s Golden Gate. Joachim, rushing from the desert, meets her there. The couple embrace, their joy erupting in the middle of the busy gate. Dürer makes this reunion radiant and human, two elderly people clinging to each other with relief, gratitude, and renewed hope.

The Birth of the Virgin

5. Birth of the Virgin (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Inside a lively household, the Virgin Mary is born. Women bustle about as midwives tend to Anna, resting in her bed after the long-awaited delivery. Others bathe the newborn child in a small wooden tub. Dürer turns this sacred moment into an intimate domestic scene, full of details: textiles, furniture, and the calm relief of a long-desiring mother.

The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple

6. Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

As a small child, Mary is brought by her parents to the Temple, dedicated to God’s service. Dürer shows her climbing the steep steps alone, a tiny figure ascending toward the high priest who awaits her. Joachim and Anna look on, both proud and moved, as if understanding that their daughter’s life will be extraordinary. Anna points at the offering lambs, as if she tells Joachim “do you still remember when your offer was rejected?”. Dürer connects the early “Joachim’s Rejection” print with Mary’s triumphal entry into the temple.

The Marriage of the Virgin

7. Marriage of the Virgin (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Mary is joined in marriage to an older widowed man named Joseph before a small assembly of witnesses. Dürer captures both the ceremony’s ritual precision and the human warmth of the participants. Joseph and Mary convey mutual respect and spiritual purpose, while the architectural setting frames the sacred promise binding them together.

The Annunciation

8. Annunciation to the Virgin (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

In a quiet, sunlit interior, Mary reads when the angel Gabriel appears before her. His message is astonishing: she will conceive a child through the Holy Spirit. Mary reacts with humility, and acceptance; a moment of divine communication.

The Visitation, Mary meets Elisabeth

9. Visitation, the Virgin meets Elisabeth (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Mary travels to visit her older cousin Elizabeth, who is miraculously pregnant with John the Baptist. The two women meet outdoors in an affectionate embrace, recognizing the divine mystery present in both of them. Both women are pregnant with children who will play central roles in salvation history. Their embrace conveys joy, mutual recognition, and shared purpose.

The Nativity; Adoration of the Shepherds

10. Nativity; Adoration of the Shepherds (c.1502), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Albertina, Vienna.

Christ is born in a ruined stable. Mary kneels in worship, gazing at the child. Joseph stands nearby. Angels crowd above. Shepherds arrive to offer humble reverence. Dürer’s composition guides the viewer’s eye toward Christ, while the rustic setting reminds us of the humility of his entrance into the world.

The Circumcision of Christ

11. Circumcision of Christ (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

On the eighth day after his birth, the infant Jesus is brought to the Temple for his circumcision, the ritual that marks him formally as a son of Israel. Dürer sets the scene inside a vaulted sacred space, where priests prepare the ceremony, while Mary stands close, watching anxiously yet faithfully as her child undergoes the ancient rite. It’s a composition that balances human vulnerability with religious duty.

The Adoration of the Magi

12. Adoration of the Magi (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Three kings arrive from distant lands, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They kneel before the infant with reverence, their faces full of age, wisdom, and wonder. Dürer sets the scene within a magnificent architectural ruin, as if he conveys both the worldly grandeur of the Magi and the serene divinity of the holy family.

Presentation in the Temple

13. Presentation in the Temple (c.1505), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Mary kneels, offering a small cage of doves as the modest sacrifice prescribed for the poor, while Joseph stands behind her, attentive. Simeon, the aged priest, lifts the infant Christ with reverent care, fulfilling prophecy. A few bystanders watch quietly, and the vast temple interior frames the sacred act. Dürer emphasizes the gravity of the ritual and the fulfillment of God’s promise, balancing intimacy with monumental architecture.

The Flight into Egypt

14. Flight into Egypt (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Warned in a dream that King Herod seeks the child’s life, Mary and Joseph flee south into Egypt. Mary rides a donkey, cradling her baby, while Joseph leads them along a rugged path. Dürer enriches the landscape with a palm tree and exotic vegetation, the Middle Eastern landscape through which the Holy Family must quietly pass.

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt

15. Rest on the Flight into Egypt (c.1502), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Now settled in Egypt, the Holy Family engages in daily life. Joseph works at his carpenter’s bench, and Mary spins wool nearby; it’s a small industrious household. The infant Christ is tended by angels and we see putti, while God the Father blesses the scene, the Holy Spirit descending as a dove.

The 12-Year-Old Christ Among the Doctors

16. The 12-year old Christ among the Doctors (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Back in Jerusalem, after days of searching, Mary and Joseph find twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple, debating from a lectern with learned scholars. Dürer fills the hall with the old learned men, pointing, arguing, leaning in, and surprised by the boy’s insight, already showing the authority that will define his later ministry.

Christ Taking Leave of His Mother

17. Christ saying farewell to His Mother (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Before his Passion, Christ comes once more to say goodbye to Mary. The moment is private and emotional. They stand near the simple entrance of her home, both aware of what lies ahead. Dürer captures a moment familiar to all parents: the pain of letting go, knowing a child must follow his calling.

The Death of the Virgin

18. Death of the Virgin (1510), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Surrounded by the apostles, Mary’s final moments unfold in a room lit by candles. The apostles lean in, praying softly; reading from a book or holding candles. Mary lies peaceful. Dürer balances human grief with sacred serenity.

The Assumption into Heaven and The Coronation of the Virgin

19. The Assumption into Heaven and Coronation of the Virgin (1510), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 29x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Angels lift Mary from her tomb, carrying her upward into a swirl of clouds. Her body rises not through effort but through grace. Below, the apostles look up in awe, their expressions mixing disbelief and wonder. The scene bridges earth and heaven in one sweeping vertical movement. The cycle ends triumphantly. In heaven, both her Son Christ and God the Father crown Mary as Queen of Heaven.

Glorification of the Virgin, surrounded by saints

20. Glorification of the Virgin (surrounded by saints) (c.1502), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Dürer concludes the series with a majestic vision of Mary exalted in heaven, surrounded by a host of saints and angels. She sits at the center, serene and radiant, while figures of holy men and women gather around her. Angels float gracefully, carrying musical instruments and banners. The composition conveys both joy and solemnity: the trials, sorrows, and faithful endurance of Mary’s life are now transfigured into eternal glory.

Closing Notes

When we look at Life of the Virgin by Albrecht Dürer, as a series published in 1511 and with most of the prints issued individually around 1505, we must try to see it not only with our nowadays eyes, accustomed to endless images, but with the eyes of Dürer’s contemporaries. How did people in the early sixteenth century experience a series like this? They lived in a world without photographs, without film, without magazines, without the internet, without TikTok or Instagram, a world where most people encountered images only in a church altarpiece or the occasional fresco. It was, visually speaking, a world of darkness punctuated by a few precious points of light.

Into that world, Dürer released this series. And it reads almost like a comic book or a biopic: one scene leading seamlessly into the next, each print a little narrative cliffhanger inviting the viewer to turn the page. Published with accompanying text, the series functioned almost like a script for a film long before cinema existed.

Dürer’s imagery was fresh, inventive, and instantly recognizable. In an age without photocopiers or digital reproduction, the only way to “go viral” was through reprinting, and Dürer was one of the first artists whose visual inventions were copied, repeated, and adapted across Europe. It is no wonder that his compositions reappear again and again throughout the sixteenth century and beyond. Success brought imitation, but Dürer was acutely aware of his intellectual property: he did everything he could to protect his “AD” monogram, his early version of a brand logo.

If we translate Dürer’s achievement into modern terms, he was an influencer, a trendsetter, even a blockbuster director whose imagery shaped European art. “Life of the Virgin” can be read as a Renaissance biopic, a storyboard for a film about Mary’s life, “There’s Something About Mary” created, directed and produced by Albrecht Dürer. In 1511.

The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, March 25

The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, March 25

Today 25th of March is the feast of The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the announcement by the Archangel Gabriel to Mary that she would conceive and bear a son through a virgin birth and become the mother of Jesus Christ.

It’s easy to remember this date, as it’s a full nine months of pregnancy before Christmas, the birthday of Jesus. And it’s approximately the start of spring and the moment of the northern equinox when day and night are equally long. In medieval terms, start of spring is identified as the date of an unusual number of Biblical events: Adam’s and Eve’s fall into sin; Cain’s murder of Abel; Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac; the martyrdom of John the Baptist; and the Crucifixion. Still more strongly associated with this date is the Annunciation, at which, according to the Gospel of Luke, the archangel Gabriel brought word to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive the Son of God: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”

The Annunciation at the Well flourished in Byzantium, an ancient Greek city that became known as Constantinople and as Istanbul today. In this illustration from a 12th century manuscript, two meetings are implied: at left, Mary dips her pitcher into a well as she turns to hear Gabriel’s message; at right, she approaches a house where she will receive the angel a second time while sitting on a throne-like chair. This illustration is following the Annunciation as written in the Gospel of James.
Jacobus Monachus also known as the Kokkinobaphos Master, Homiliae in Beatam Mariam etc, 12th Century, Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Département des Manuscrits, Inv Nr Grec 1208, page 159v. 

The Annunciation has been one of the most frequent subjects of Christian art. Its composition and details vary in accordance with its setting: the Virgin might appear on a throne, in a loggia, in a bedroom, or outdoors, and she often is shown sewing or reading. A variant of particular interest is the depiction of the Annunciation at the Spring, also known as the Annunciation at the Well. Inspired by accounts preserved in early apocryphal (non-Bible) texts such as the Gospel of James, this variant of the Annunciation depicts the Virgin Mary greeted by the angel Gabriel as she is fetching water at a well.

Cultures in the western part of the Mediterranean, like Venice with its strong trading links to the Byzantine area, adopted the image of the Annunciation at the Spring. This scene appears among twelfth-century mosaics of the Life of the Virgin in the transept of the church of San Marco in Venice.

There are two basic sources that describe the Annunciation. The Gospel of Luke (1:26-38) and the Gospel of James (v.11). Luke’s Gospel is part of the traditional Bible books and mostly the story that is depicted in Western art from the 14th Century onwards. The other source is the 2nd Century Gospel of James, which is an “apocryphal” book, meaning it’s not included in the traditional Bible collection of books. James’s Gospel is mostly the source in Eastern art up to the 15th Century and – remarkably – again by British painters in the 19th Century. The Gospel of James describes how one day Mary took the pitcher and went forth to draw water at a well when she heard an angelic voice: “Hail, you are highly favored, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women.” And Mary looked around on the right and on the left to see from where this voice could have come.” During this first encounter, at a well or spring, the angel was heard but not seen. Mary appeared to be alone. Mary then went inside and it’s there that the angel appeared to her in person, while Mary is sitting on a throne-like chair.

In this beautiful illustration form an early 14th Century Armenian manuscript known as the Glazdor Gospels, a flattened, stylized well and pitcher offer only a reminder of the original “Annunciation at the Well” images. The figures’ static postures, animated only by Gabriel’s speaking gesture and the Virgin’s raised palm, recall Western Annunciation scenes, but Mary’s gilded brocade, the throned seat and the ogival dome at the top of the composition attest to its Eastern roots.
The Glazdor Gospels, Los Angeles, University of California Research Library, MS. 1, p. 305.

From the 14th Century onward most Annunciations in Western art focus more on the story as written in the Gospel of Luke rather than the apocryphal Gospel of James. They dispense with the pitcher and the well and more and more they will also omit Mary sitting on a the throne-like seat. Many more images placed the event in a specific and unified space such as a portico (Fra Angelico), a private home (Rubens), or a church (Van Eyck).

The Archangel Gabriel delivers a salutation from God: “Ave Gratia Plena” (Hail, Full of Grace). His words flow out in gold letters. Mary draws back with surprise and modesty. She has been chosen to bear the Son of God. As she speaks her acceptance: “Ecce Ancilla Domini” (See, I am the Servant of the Lord), written upside-down for God to read it more easily from above. The dove of the holy spirit descends to her on rays of light.
Jan van Eyck (Netherlandish, c.1390 – 1441), The Annunciation (c.1435), 90x34cm, National Gallery of Art, Washington.
In this Annunciation by Fra Angelico, Gabriel is seen approaching Mary outdoors in the cloister of San Marco in Florence. Mary is depicted as sweet and innocent yet taken aback by Gabriel’s arrival. Her innocence and virginity is represented by the “Hortus Conclusus” (Walled Garden) seen in the background. Her arms are folded in the same manner as Gabriel, and show her acceptance, humility, and submission.
Fra Angelico (c.1395 – 1455), The Annunciation (c.1442), Fresco, 230x297cm, Convent of San Marco, Florence.

When Cosimo de’ Medici rebuilt the convent of San Marco, he commissioned Fra Angelico to decorate the walls with frescos. This included the inside of the monk’s cells and inside the corridors; around fifty pieces in total. Out of all of the frescos at the convent, the Annunciation is the most well known. This fresco was not intended just for aesthetic purposes. Running across the loggia at the bottom of the fresco there is an inscription that instructs the viewer: “Virginis Intacte Cvm Veneris Ante Figvram Preterevndo Cave Ne Sileatvr Ave.” It means “When you come before the image of the Ever-Virgin take care that you do not neglect to say an Ave”. This was a daily reminder for the monks to pray.

Leonardo’s Annunciation depicts the Archangel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she would conceive miraculously and give birth to a son to be named Jesus.  The angel holds a Madonna lily, a symbol of Mary’s virginity as well as that of the city of Florence. It is presumed that, being a keen observer of nature, Leonardo painted the wings of the angel to resemble those of a bird in flight, but later, the wings were lengthened dramatically by another artist.
Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 1452 – 1519), Annunciation (c.1474), 98x217cm, Uffizi, Florence.
In this Annunciation by Rubens, painted around 1628, Mary is portrayed in her sitting room. The homy atmosphere is emphasized by the wicker basket that contains Mary’s sewing and the sleeping cat in the bottom right-hand corner. Rubens started working on this painting after his stay in Italy, where he had come under the influence of the great painters of the Renaissance. This Italianate influence is evident from the unusually bright colors and the free dynamic style, which was new in the Netherlandic countries. Rubens used ultramarine for Mary’s cloak, a precious pigment made from finely ground lapis lazuli.
Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577 – 1640), The Annunciation (1628), 310x179cm, Rubens House, Antwerp.
This scene shows the intercession of the Holy Ghost, symbolised by the white dove. The Virgin is accompanied by three of her traditional attributes: a sewing basket, a book as symbol of Mary’s devotion, and a spray of lilies which symbolize her purity.
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (Spanish, 1617 – 1682), The Annunciation (c.1660), 125x103cm, Museo del Prado, Madrid.
In the 19th Century a group of British painters broke with traditional imagery and went back to pre-Raphael depiction of stories. This group is therefor called the Pre-Raphaelites. Here on this painting, Mary is back at the well as in the Byzantine annunciation images. She encounters the voice of the angel and his message, although she doesn’t see him.
Edward Burne-Jones (British, 1833–1898), The Annunciation (1879), 250x105cm, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool, England.
This Annunciation of 1892, by Arthur Hacker from the Tate Britain, London, is depicting the story from the 2nd Century apocryphal (non-Bible) Gospel of James. As Mary gathers water at the well, unexpectedly an angel she cannot see appears. Arthur Hacker chose to portray the young Mary in portrait form, rather than focus upon the angelic meeting. Serious and sombre, Mary rests her hands on her heart. She is aware of something very important happening to her. She knows she has a role to play, and seems humbled to be chosen for it. Hovering behind Mary is the angel. He holds out a lily to Mary, the flower that symbolises Mary’s purity. Arthur Hacker spent time in Spain and Morocco. This had a strong influence on his art. Mary’s clothing probably reflects Islamic dress Hacker saw during his travels.
Arthur Hacker (English, 1858 – 1919), The Annunciation (1892), 233x126cm, Tate, London.
Beatrice Emma Parsons chooses to portray the innocence and vulnerability of a young woman faced with the important responsibilities of motherhood. While the virginity of Mary has always held theological importance, with this work Parsons uses it to emphasize the humanity of the scene. Parsons captures the vulnerability of Mary, dressed in white and standing among a field of Madonna lilies, a symbol of the Annunciation and Mary’s purity. Also seen growing in Mary’s garden are red roses, emblematic of Christ’s Passion. The Holy Spirit, represented according to the traditional iconography of scenes of the Annunciation as a Dove fluttering above the Virgin’s head, is here translated into a group of birds sitting on the roof of the Virgin’s cottage.
Beatrice Emma Parsons (English, 1870 – 1955), The Annunciation (1897), 114x183cm, Sotheby’s New York, 2007.
Tanner painted The Annunciation after a trip to Egypt and Palestine in 1897. Influenced by what he saw, Tanner created an unconventional image of the moment when the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear the Son of God. Mary is shown dressed in rumpled Middle Eastern peasant clothing, without a halo or other holy attributes. Gabriel appears only as a shaft of light. Tanner entered this painting in the 1898 Paris Salon exhibition, after which it was bought for the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1899.
Henry Ossawa Tanner (American, 1859 – 1937), The Annunciation (1898), 145x181cm Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia PA.

March 25 was used as New Year’s Day in many pre-modern Christian countries. The holiday was moved to January 1 in France by Charles IX in 1564. In England, the feast of the Annunciation came to be known as Lady Day, and Lady Day marked the beginning of the English new year until 1752.

Here are the two stories, written by Luke and by James, both accounts of the Annunciation and written down in the first few centuries after the birth of Jesus.The story as told by Luke in his Gospel (1:26-38) is focusing on the discussion between the Angel and Mary. It’s as follows:

Luke 1: 26-38
God sent the angel Gabriel, to a virgin named 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 conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest.”
 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”
 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her

The story as told by James in his Gospel (v.11) gives also details about the setting. It happens at the well and inside Mary’s house, and it mentions that Mary is doing some sewing and needlework. It’s as follows:

James v.11
And she took the pitcher and went out to fill it with water. And suddenly a voice could be heard, saying: “Hail, you who has received grace; the Lord is with you; blessed are yiou among women!” And Mary looked round to the right hand and to the left, to see from where this voice came. And she went away, trembling, to her house, and put down the pitcher; and she took her sewing basket with needlework, and she sat down on her seat. And then, look, an angel of the Lord stood before her, saying: “Fear not, Mary; for you have found grace before the Lord, and you shall conceive, according to His word.” And she is hearing, reasoned with herself, saying: “Shall I conceive by the Lord, the living God? and shall I give birth as every woman gives birth?” And the angel of the Lord said: “Not so, Mary; for the power of the Lord shall overshadow you: wherefore also that holy thing which shall be born with you shall be called the Son of the Highest. And you shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” And Mary said: “See, I am the servant of the Lord before His face: let it be upon me according to your word.”
Mary and the Immaculate Conception

Mary and the Immaculate Conception

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617 – 1682), “The Aranjuez Immaculate Conception” (1675), 222x118cm, Oil on Canvas, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

Today December 8th is the day of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. It’s one of the major Christian feast days and it’s a holiday in many Catholic countries. But what is it about; what is the Immaculate Conception of Mary? First of all: do not confuse it with Mary’s virginal conception of her son Jesus! That’s only happening on March 25th, when it’s announced to Mary that she will be pregnant, being 9 months before the birth of her son Jesus, which happens on December 25th and that’s Christmas day. December 8th is about the Immaculate Conception of Mary herself, and it’s exactly 9 months before another feast day in the Catholic church, the Nativity or Birth of Mary, and that’s on September 8th. It’s all easy to remember when you count with those 9 months pregnancy.

The Immaculate Conception of Mary is nothing more than that she was born immaculate, pure, spotless and without any sin. That’s in contrary to any other human being. Everyone is born with the Original Sin, which is the inherited sin of Adam and Eve, who were eating the forbidden fruit while being in Paradis. That was the first sin of mankind ever, and it became an inheritable sin. It means that every baby is born with this Original Sin, to be washed away by baptizing, as soon as possible after birth. Mary on the contrary was born without this Original Sin, she was born Immaculate. That also makes her the one and only human being ever been without any sin. And Mary being so immaculate and the purest of all, is celebrated on December 8th.

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1746 – 1828), “The Immaculate Conception” (1783), 80x41cm, Oil on Canvas, Museo del Prado, Mardrid.

The parents of Mary are Anna and Joachim, and these two are in that sense the grandparents of Jesus. Many believe that Anna, Mary’s mother, stayed a virgin herself while becoming pregnant of Mary. That’s not correct and officially considered an error by the Catholic doctrine. It’s also not so that Mary, after being born without the Original Sin, by default stayed without any personal sin. In general however, it’s believed that Mary was born without sin and stayed without sin.

Mary’s Immaculate Conception is a doctrine, being established as a faith by Popes and widely accepted within the Church. Already celebrated since the 5th century, the doctrine was only dogmatically defined in 1854, when Pope Pius IX declared so with “papal infallibility”. So, since then it’s a “true” story.

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696 – 1770), “The Immaculate Conception” (1767), 281x155cm, Oil on Canvas, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

It’s for artists not so easy to depict the concept of Immaculate Conception. Painters were struggling with the concept for long time, and only from the 17th Century onwards a standard image developed, based on paintings from the circle of the Spanish painter Murillo. It’s mostly an image of Mary in a heavenly realm with clouds and a golden light, surrounded by symbols of purity like white lilies and roses, with sometimes an image of God above Mary. On some painting symbols of the Original Sin, like snake and apple, can be seen at Her feet. Mary is standing on a crescent moon, symbol of virginity and chastity. It’s always an image of Mary herself and certainly without the baby Jesus, as that happened only later in the life of the Virgin Mary.