Annunciation of Mary, Velde Snowflake Pewter Christmas Ornament

Pewter Snowflake Ornament with the painting "The Annunciation of Mary" by the famous Dutch artist Adriaen van de Velde. Artist: Adriaen van de Velde Title English:The Annunciation of Mary Title Dutch: De verkondiging aan Maria Date:1667 Medium:oil on canvas / oil painting Measurements original painting: h 128 cm × w 176 cm Current location of painting: Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (national museum), Holland , www.rijksmuseum.nl The landscape painter Adriaen van de Velde made a few paintings with religious subjects. Standing on a cloud, the angel announces to Mary that she will conceive and bear God’s son. Mary looks up in surprise from her reading. The lily branch symbolises her virginity. "The Annunciation (anglicised from the Latin Vulgate Luke 1:26-39 Annuntiatio nativitatis Christi), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God, marking his Incarnation. Gabriel told Mary to name her son Jesus, meaning "Saviour". Many Christians observe this event with the Feast of the Annunciation on 25 March, nine full months before Christmas, the ceremonial birthday of Jesus. According to Luke 1:26, the Annunciation occurred "in the sixth month" of Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the Baptist. Irenaeus (c.130-202) of Lyon regarded the conception of Jesus as 25 March coinciding with the Passion." Source: Wikipedia In the Bible, the Annunciation is narrated in Luke 1:26-38: 26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.