Signs in Medieval Art Continued

I began to suddenly not feel well during the middle our class at the Nelson Atkins. I wish I could have paid more attention to others presentations of signs in their work, but since I can't go back and re-listen, I want to talk more about the piece that me and my partner picked, The Altarpiece with Scenes from the Life of the Virgin.

Since the piece is so complicated, we probably should have picked one panel. I'm picking the top left image, which shows a woman seated while receiving a flower from a kneeling figure which appears androgynous.

The signs directed by souls include the woman's hand gesturing toward herself and the angel's kneeling, both indicating that she is the focus of the narrative, and the more important figure in the image. The angel's gesture indicates he is offering the flower to the woman as a gift.

As far as natural signs go, most signs in this image could only be interpreted by a person from western culture, specifically one familiar with christian traditions. The writing is a sign, however, only a person who can read latin can understand it, which, during the time period it was created would be a person wealthy enough to afford an education (and or paper for writing). The wings on the angel indicate that he is angel, also his androgynous features were associated with angels during that time period. The fact that the woman is mary and that the angel is informing her of the fact that she with give birth to jesus can be assumed from the similarity the scene bares to other annunciation scenes as well as the image of a small man in the clouds with speech lines coming down toward Mary in the same path that a dove is flying, which can be assumed to represent God sending his holy spirit down to Mary in the form of Jesus. Also we can assume both figures are holy by their halos. The flower most probably represents purity and the virgin Mary. I can't even tell what flower it is, maybe a lily, but lots of flowers symbolize the virgin Mary.

Most of these signs are probable. It is theoretically possible that another religious scene is depicted and the figures aren't Mary and the angel Gabriel, but it is probable that they are. Probably if I could read latin, it would be certain that that is who is depicted.