Revisiting The Annunciation of Joseph ... Volume 2

Just for the record, check out these two paintings of Mary. Each presumably depicts her face after receiving notification from Gabriel of what was afoot:





Both by a guy named Antonello da Messina, painted in Italy around 1450-1475. If nothing else, this should indicate to you that I'm not the first painter with some interest in depicting these events.

Anyway, both of them surely remind us (you and me, dear reader) of that famous Rolling Stones song "Girl with the Faraway Eyes," which begins, as I am sure you know, like this:

I was driving home early Sunday morning through Bakersfield, listening to gospel music on the colored radio station. And the preacher said, you know you always have the Lord by your side. And I was so pleased to be informed of this that I ran twenty red lights in his honor. Thank you Jesus, thank you Lord

I mean, you couldn't make this stuff up if you tried. The circularity of it, I mean. The synchronicity of it. Plus, if the Stones can cover this stuff off, then surely why not me?

Now take a look at the faraway look in my boy Joseph's eyes:



Not such a great image (I just zoomed in and cropped it), but the take-away is that everybody is looking someplace else. Someplace faraway.

I think if I can get this right--and I haven't really tried yet--the rest of the painting will end up just fine.