The scene in which the Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive Christ; one of the most enduring subjects of Catholic sacred art.
The Annunciation represents the Archangel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she will conceive Christ. Common attributes include Gabriel’s lily, Mary’s book, the dove of the Holy Spirit, rays of light, and an architectural division between the two figures.
Etymology
From Latin annuntiatio, “announcement.”
Sculptor Notes
The subject is built from a charged interval between two figures. Gesture and distance matter enormously: Gabriel advances or kneels; Mary turns, receives, recoils, or submits. The space between them is part of the sculpture's meaning.
References
https://www.metmuseum.org/essays/the-cult-of-the-virgin-mary-in-the-middle-ages; https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/231142