The Archangel Gabriel: A Unifying Figure Across Centuries 

by Cynthia Close

The winged figure of the archangel Gabriel plays a pivital role in biblical stories of the Annunciation where he appears to the Virgin Mary foretelling the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. In all Christian denominations he is regarded as a saint. In the Hebrew Bible he is portrayed as a protector of the people of Israel. Gabriel is also mentioned in the Quran, the primary religious text of Islam. Going even further back, ancient scripts refer to Gabriel as a divine being. As a result of this pervasive appearance in texts across many cultures Gabriel has been a popular subject for artists since the beginning of recorded time.

Although the official feast day for the angel Gabriel is held in March, he is particularly visible hovering symbolically over nativity scenes celebrating the birth of Jesus that pop up at Christmas time in churches, shopping malls, and front lawns. Finely detailed Byzantine mosaics from the 9^th century offer some of the earliest visual interpretations of Gabriel. He is usually shown as a full figure facing frontally, his prominent wings signaling his identity as an angel. In Leonardo da Vinci’s sumptuous oil and tempera painting of the Annunciation from the 15^th century, Gabriel is rendered with his angel’s wings gently folded. His elegantly robed figure in red, green, and white kneels while holding up his right hand in a symbolic moment of prophecy. A trumpet is most often shown in the hands of Gabriel, but here he holds a Madonna lily, a symbol of Mary’s virginity. The painting demonstrates Leonardo’s innovative techniques of sfumato and atmospheric perspective.