I have before me on my desk a repro­duc­tion of the Mérode Altar­piece, a paint­ing on three pan­els by a 15th cen­tu­ry Flem­ish mas­ter believed by many schol­ars to be Robert Campin. The trip­tych depicts the moment of the Annun­ci­a­tion, when the angel Gabriel announces to the Vir­gin that she is to become the moth­er of Christ. It is a warm, mar­velous work, rich with both cul­tur­al and reli­gious meaning.