IN THE famous painting of the Annunciation by Fra Angelico,
we find the simplest of scenes. The Archangel, clad in a robe
of sparkling color, and having a glorious halo of gems and gold
around his head of sunny curls, enters through a colonnade to the
Madonna, who is seated. —Geo. C. Williamson.
Of the Madonna Dolorosa is the famous tondo of Botticelli.
A beautiful angel turns upwards his melancholy gaze towards
the Mother. Her eyes and her thoughts are far away. Even
the angels, lovely as they are, show an almost human despair in
their angelic hearts. They are wholly unlike the incarnate Innocences
of Fra Angelico, with their robes of tender hues, and their
many-colored, sunlit wings. Still less do they resemble the
radiant child-denizens of heaven, as Bellini, Raphael, Francia,
Carpaccio or Boccaci painted them. As we look at them we almost
fancy that they burst into "such tears as angels weep."
Angelico 's Annunciations mark no special advance, except in
their heavenliness. His best is the one in the Convent of St.
Marco. The angel is perhaps less majestic than is usual with
this painter, but the Virgin is only the more to be worshiped,
because here, for once, she is set before us in the verity of life.
The beautiful Gabriel bends before the Virgin, with his arms
crossed on his breast, and the painter may have had in his mind
the lovely passage of Dante, which is in itself a picture of the
Annunciation in clear and glowing verse. —Farrar.
But at her side
An angel doth abide
With such perfect joy
As no dim doubts alloy;
An intuition,
A glory, an amenity,
Passing the dark condition
Of poor humanity,
As if he surely knew
All the blest wonders should ensue.
— Charles Lamb.
