Annunciation, Mary kneels at a lectern as Gabriel approaches on a cloud from the left, with the dove of the Holy Spirit above, trimmed from an engraving showing decorations for thimbles

Johann Theodor de Bry (Netherlandish, Strasbourg 1561–1623 Bad Schwalbach)

Public domain photograph of 17th-18th century drawing, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

The Annunciation is a biblical event in which the angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary to announce that she had been chosen to give birth to Jesus, the Son of God. The event is recorded in the New Testament in the Gospels of Luke and is a central moment in the story of the Nativity of Jesus. The scene typically depicts Mary and Gabriel, who is usually shown holding a lily, a symbol of purity, and announcing the news of the birth of Jesus to Mary.