This stunning Annunciation was done by Heinrich Lefler, a Catholic artist known primarily as a set designer for the Austrian opera. There are generally two ways the Annunciation is usually done in paintings. One is where Mary is the dominant figure, being the Queen of Heaven and Queen of Angels. The other is with Mary as a small teen-age girl and the Angel resplendent with the power of Heaven he represents. Gabriel is glorious here, and Mary is respectful of the Word of God he carries.

Heinrich Lefler (1863-1919) was the son of a fine art painter, Franz Lefler, and studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and then at Munich. He was one of the premier artists who developed the Jugendstil, the Germanic version of Art Nouveau, at the turn of the century. Besides set designs and fine art, he designed all manner of things, such as murals, posters, cards, costumes, and even bank notes for the German government. In the latter years of his life, he was an art professor at the academy he had first studied at. (sources: wikipedia.com and nicklouras.com)

Here he makes his dramatic, unique contribution to the Annunciation paintings in the world. It is one of our favorite moments in history, when Salvation began, and we sometimes think we should have a shop for only just the thousands of gorgeous paintings made of this moment. We find this one especially appealing.

** IMPORTANT ** THE IMAGE IS SMALLER THAN THE PAPER! There is a white border of about 0.5" inch for 5x7", 1.3" for 8.5x11", or 1.6" for 11x14" pictures. All Approx! Fine art printers do this because the images are almost never the same rectangular ratio of the standard paper sizes. It also gives the prints a finished look, and lets them look good in a frame without a matt.

- Acid-free paper
- Archival pigments, rated to last for generations.
- Cardboard backer
- Above story of the art
- Enclosed in a tight-fitting, crystal clear bag.

Thanks for your interest!
Sue & John

"In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art." ~ St. Pope John Paul II

Original image is out-of-copyright. Descriptive text and image alterations (hence the whole new image) © by Sue Kouma Johnson - CatholicArtAndJewelry.