In Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Annunciation, we see the angel Gabriel visiting Mary in her bedroom. He stands tall while she shrinks back on her bed. Her face is difficult to read. Is she deep in thought? Or is she paralyzed by fear? The image is deeply unsettling and it’s hard to ignore the fact that it looks like we are witnessing an assault on a young girl. This is problematic on so many … [Read more...]