March 25th marks the Feast of the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel appears to the Virgin Mary. (If Jesus was born on December 25th, then he should have been conceived on March 25th. Although the Bible does not provide us with any dates, it seems appropriate that the Holy Child should have been conceived at the spring equinox and born at the winter solstice).
This event has always been a popular subject with artists, but here is a most unusual one by Lorenzo Lotto. The cat has seen the Archangel, and, not suprisingly, is scared out of its wits!
