Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity from BL Sloane 1977, f. 2

Detail of full-page miniature of the upper register of the Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity. Image taken from f. 2 of Chirurgia. Written in French.

The Annunciation is a biblical event in which the angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary to announce that she had been chosen to give birth to Jesus, the Son of God. The event is recorded in the New Testament in the Gospels of Luke and is a central moment in the story of the Nativity of Jesus. The scene typically depicts Mary and Gabriel, who is usually shown holding a lily, a symbol of purity, and announcing the news of the birth of Jesus to Mary.

Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) was a physician and naturalist who played a crucial role in the development of British museums and libraries. Sloane was a fellow of the Royal Society and a physician to the royal family. He also traveled extensively and collected items from all over the world.

Sloane's collection was vast and eclectic, encompassing a wide range of subjects, including natural history, botany, ethnography, medicine, antiquities, and more. His manuscript collection included medieval and early modern texts, as well as materials from various cultures and time periods. His collection formed the basis for the British Museum (now part of the British Library), the Natural History Museum, and the British Museum Library (now part of the British Library).