Spring Is Here/Aprill Is the Cruelest Month

Spring Is Here/Aprill Is the Cruelest Month

Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.

The Annunciation, 1325 - 1966

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation. Here is a brief survey of some paintings depicting that announcement, that hailing, that "Ave," from the angel, Gabriel, to the Virgin. In some cases, the hail itself is painted into golden words on the canvas. Enjoy.

1325, Ohrid Annunciation Icon 

1333, Simone Martini, Annunciation

1427, The Master of Flémalle, Mérode Altarpiece

1434, Fra Angelico

1437, Fra Angelico, "The Annunciation"

1445, Zanobi Strozzi, about 1440-5

1450, Fra Filippo Lippi, Annunciation

1475, Leonardo da Vinci, Annunciation

1608, Caravaggio, Annunciation

1610, Peter Paul Rubens, Annunciation

1850, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Ecce Ancilla Domini

1898, Henry Ossawa Tanner, the Annunciation

1900, William Brassey Hole, Annunciation

20th century (1950?), Unknown Artist, Chinese, The Annunciation to the Shepherds

1966, Sadao Watanabe, The Annunciation

Late 20th/Early 21st Century Coloring Book