The Annunciation
Part 2 - The Virgin Mary
by Mikhail Nesterov

This beautiful and delicate portrait of the Virgin Mary is part of a diptych (a two part devotional piece). In the first part, we have the Angel Gabriel offering the Word of God to Mary as a white lily. In this second part, we have Mary consenting and the Holy Spirit coming to her.

"I am the handmaiden of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word." The atmospheric quality of this painting lends a sense of Mary's gentleness and cooperation with God's will. That atmospheric quality is a style of painting called Symbolism, which in this case is used to suggest the spiritual qualities of the scene beyond its worldly dimension. See how spiritual Mary looks? See how the trees are more like symbols of trees? The world is dreamy; it awakens to God.

Nesterov has many astonishing paintings of Jesus and Mary and the Saints. This painting was done in 1898. The companion piece of Gabriel is equally breathtaking. They are painted with oil on wood, in the traditional diptych manner. A beautiful stand-alone piece if you're looking for a delicate picture of Mary, or of course it looks wonderful paired with the picture of Gabriel.

** IMPORTANT ** THE IMAGE IS SMALLER THAN THE PAPER! There is a white border of about 0.5" inch for 5x7", 1.3" for 8.5x11", or 1.6" for 11x14" pictures. All Approx! Fine art printers do this because the images are almost never the same rectangular ratio of the standard paper sizes. It also gives the prints a finished look, and lets them look good in a frame without a matt.

- Acid-free paper
- Archival pigments, rated to last for generations.
- Cardboard backer
- Above story of the art
- Enclosed in a tight-fitting, crystal clear bag.

Thanks for your interest!

Thanks!
Sue & John

"In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art." ~ St. Pope John Paul II

Original image is out-of-copyright. Descriptive text and image alterations (hence the whole new image) © by Sue Kouma Johnson - CatholicArtAndJewelry.