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We’ll have reduced opening hours from Thursday 18 until Saturday 20 August, due to strike action affecting UK transport networks. The galleries, Reading Room and café will close at 17:00 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The library will close at 17:00 on Thursday and Friday, and at 16:00 as usual on Saturday. Please check our opening times for more information.

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Bible. N.T. Matthew 27.57-60; Mark 15.46; Luke 23.53. John 19.38-42. Joseph of Arimathaea is the Hebraic figure bearing Christ on the left. Mary Magdalene holds Christ's hand; Nicodemus holds his feet. The figure in the top centre may be John the Evangelist. No figure is readily identifiable as the Virgin, though there are three women

1 print : lithograph ; image 33.1 x 44.1 cm

Christ is laid into a tomb. Lithograph by M. Fanoli after E.R. Wehnert, 1849.

Bible. N.T. Matthew 26.69-75; Mark 14.66-72; Luke 22.54-62; John 18.17-27. The ace of spades lies at the top of the deck of playing cards. On the wall by the fire hangs a handkerchief next to a mark on the wall: a line intersected at right angles by three smaller lines. Above the fire is a candle next to a perched cockerel, sign of Peter's betrayal as predicted by Christ. On the other side of the room four soldiers move to leave; the first one carries a large flag

1 print : line engraving, with etching ; image 23.4 x 33.3 cm

Peter denies knowledge of Christ; men play cards. Engraving by R. Delaunay after Marchais after D. Teniers.

1 print : line engraving with etching ; border 23.2 x 17.5 cm

Jesus appoints Peter as head of the church. Engraving by Clark and Pine, ca. 1719.

Bible. N.T. Luke 1.26-35. The attitudes and postures of the Virgin and the angel vary significantly in different represenations of the Annunciation. The Virgin's hand is usually active; sometimes she is intently studying, sometimes she is in a gesture of surprise. She may be glorified, or on the other hand she may kneel. Then the angel varies in relation to her: he might kneel before her. After the Council of Trent, the angel was set in the air, "reacting against the excessive 'familiarity' of religious art of the 15th century" (L. Réau, Iconographie de l'art chrétien, Presses Universitaires de France : Paris, 1957, vol. 2, book 2, pp. 178-187, particularly p. 182)
The angel Gabriel folds his arms; Mary lifts her veil

1 print : line engraving with etching ; border 40.2 x 27.3 cm

The Annunciation to the Virgin. Engraving by C. Cort after Titian.

The words are from chapter 2, verse 16 of the Song of Solomon: "My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies". The second clause compounds the analogy - Christ is the one who 'considers the lilies'. It is John, then, who is represented as the lover and the speaker of the words, although he is submissive in the picture ("He must wax and I must wane" - John 3.30). The lamb refers to John's line on seeing Jesus: "Behold the lamb of God!" (John 1.36). John holds a reed cross

1 print : line engraving ; image 36.5 x 27.2 cm

John the Baptist embraces Jesus, whom he has been awaiting. Engraving by G. Rousselet after G. Reni.

The faculty of weight and resistance is classed under the 'Facultés perceptives' section in chapter 15

Men of opposing social classes in a game of boules; illustrating the faculty of weight and resistance in phrenology. Steel engraving by A. Portier, 1847, after H. Bruyères.

Bible. N.T. Luke 1.26-35. The Virgin holds her hand to her left breast and rests her other hand upon the book. Behind the bed there lies a tomb, upon which rests a lamp, a book and two inscribed stone tablets. In the centre of the clouds is the sign for Jahweh
The attitudes and postures of the Virgin and the angel have varied significantly and even interchanged in Christian iconography. The plethora of differing images of the Annunciation provides a real insight into the history of emotion and its representation in gesture. The variations of the Virgin's posture provide much of the interest. Her hand is usually active; sometimes she is intently studying, sometimes she is in a gesture of almost carnal surprise. She may be glorified, or on the other hand she may kneel. Then the angel varies in relation to her: he might kneel before her. After the Council of Trent, the angel was set in the air, "reacting against", as Réau suggests, "the excessive 'familiarity' of religious art of the 15th century". On these issues, see L. Réau, 'Iconographie de l'art chrétien'. Presses Universitaires de France : Paris, 1957, vol. 2, book 2, pp. 178-187 (particularly p. 182)

1 print : line engraving ; platemark 20.2 x 25.6 cm

The Annunciation to the Virgin in her room. Engraving by C.J. Visscher (?).

Bible. N.T. Luke 1.26-35. A circle of cherubs spin around the Holy Spirit, which shoots its light into Mary's shoulder. The angel Gabriel kneels on a cloud. The Virgin is studiously reading and perhaps writing (there is an inkpot on the table); next to her stands an empty chair; her sewing instruments (from her days in the Temple) lie around her feet. On the other side of the court a chair stands against an exterior wall. On the other side of it rests an upturned pillar among the foliage
The attitudes and postures of the Virgin and the angel have varied significantly and even interchanged in Christian iconography. The plethora of differing images of the Annunciation provides a real insight into the history of emotion and its representation in gesture. The variations of the Virgin's posture provide much of the interest. Her hand is usually active; sometimes she is intently studying, sometimes she is in a gesture of almost carnal surprise. She may be glorified, or on the other hand she may kneel. Then the angel varies in relation to her: he might kneel before her. After the Council of Trent, the angel was set in the air, "reacting against", as Réau suggests, "the excessive 'familiarity' of religious art of the 15th century". On these issues, see L. Réau, 'Iconographie de l'art chrétien'. Presses Universitaires de France : Paris, 1957, vol. 2, book 2, pp. 178-187 (particularly p. 182)

The Virgin looks up at the announcing angel; cherubs spin in a circle around the Holy Spirit. Engraving after J. Callot (?).

Bible. N.T. Matthew 3.13-17; Mark 1.9-13; Luke 3.21-22. John 1.29-32. Jesus leaves his sandals on the bank

1 print : line engraving ; platemark 25 x 28 cm

The baptism of Christ; two angels bear witness, the crowd points and the holy spirit descends. Engraving by F. Keller after J.F. Overbeck.

Booklet accompanying an installation of videos and photographic prints at Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London.

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Christ is laid into a tomb. Lithograph by M. Fanoli after E.R. Wehnert, 1849.

Peter denies knowledge of Christ; men play cards. Engraving by R. Delaunay after Marchais after D. Teniers.

Jesus appoints Peter as head of the church. Engraving by Clark and Pine, ca. 1719.

The Annunciation to the Virgin. Engraving by C. Cort after Titian.

John the Baptist embraces Jesus, whom he has been awaiting. Engraving by G. Rousselet after G. Reni.

Men of opposing social classes in a game of boules; illustrating the faculty of weight and resistance in phrenology. Steel engraving by A. Portier, 1847, after H. Bruyères.

The Annunciation to the Virgin in her room. Engraving by C.J. Visscher (?).

The Virgin looks up at the announcing angel; cherubs spin in a circle around the Holy Spirit. Engraving after J. Callot (?).

The baptism of Christ; two angels bear witness, the crowd points and the holy spirit descends. Engraving by F. Keller after J.F. Overbeck.

Sigune Hamann: wave : 28 February-23 March 2012 / Wellcome Collection.

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Christ is laid into a tomb. Lithograph by M. Fanoli after E.R. Wehnert, 1849.

Peter denies knowledge of Christ; men play cards. Engraving by R. Delaunay after Marchais after D. Teniers.

Jesus appoints Peter as head of the church. Engraving by Clark and Pine, ca. 1719.

The Annunciation to the Virgin. Engraving by C. Cort after Titian.

John the Baptist embraces Jesus, whom he has been awaiting. Engraving by G. Rousselet after G. Reni.

Men of opposing social classes in a game of boules; illustrating the faculty of weight and resistance in phrenology. Steel engraving by A. Portier, 1847, after H. Bruyères.

The Annunciation to the Virgin in her room. Engraving by C.J. Visscher (?).

The Virgin looks up at the announcing angel; cherubs spin in a circle around the Holy Spirit. Engraving after J. Callot (?).

The baptism of Christ; two angels bear witness, the crowd points and the holy spirit descends. Engraving by F. Keller after J.F. Overbeck.

Sigune Hamann: wave : 28 February-23 March 2012 / Wellcome Collection.

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