Archangel Gabriel, Luke 1:28 Wall Art

Gabriel as the painter sees him

Gabriel stands facing us at full length, calm and youthful, with curly brown hair and a round gold halo behind his head. Tall wings in cream and dove gray rise above his shoulders and sweep down almost to the ground. He wears a long cream robe with a narrow gold collar, a slate-blue cloak and a rust-colored sash crossed over one shoulder. His right hand is lifted with two fingers raised in blessing; in his left he carries a stem of white lilies. He stands barefoot on a small patch of blue-gray shadow.

Unusually for this series, the text sits beneath the figure instead of above it: “Hail, thou that art highly favoured”, and Luke 1:28 under that.

What did Gabriel say to Mary?

The full King James verse reads: “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.” “Hail” is a greeting of joy, close to “Rejoice!”. The Greek word behind “highly favoured” describes someone on whom grace has already been poured out, which the Latin Bible rendered as “full of grace”. Catholics will recognize the opening of the Hail Mary, built from this verse and from Elizabeth's greeting a few lines later.

Gabriel and Michael are the only angels named in the books every Christian Bible shares; Raphael appears in Tobit, which Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include. Gabriel first appears in the Book of Daniel, explaining visions to the prophet. In Luke he makes two visits six months apart: first to the priest Zechariah in the Temple, announcing the birth of John the Baptist, then to Mary in Nazareth. To Zechariah he introduces himself with the words “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God.” His name is usually explained as “God is my strength”.

The lilies are a painter's signature for the Annunciation, standing for Mary's purity, and they have accompanied Gabriel in Christian art for centuries.

Hanging Gabriel at home

Catholic families often hang an archangel near a doorway or above a bed. Gabriel's feast falls on September 29, shared with Michael and Raphael, and he is the patron of messengers and people who work in communications, from postal carriers to journalists. The print is a meaningful gift for someone named Gabriel or Gabriella, or for a family preparing for Advent, when his announcement opens the Christmas story.