This scene shows the Christian story of the Annunciation, as told in the Gospel of James. In this version, Mary is met by an angel she cannot see while gathering water from a well. He tells her that she will have a baby and that he should be named Jesus. After studying in London and Paris, Arthur Hacker spent time in Spain and Morocco. This had a strong influence on his art. Mary’s clothing probably reflects Islamic dress Hacker saw during his travels. Infra-red photography shows that the painting originally included a woman wearing a headscarf sitting behind Mary.

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　Hacker was one of a generation of British artists who trained in Paris. Here he developed a style that harmonised plein air realism with academic idealism. His art was also influenced by his travels in Spain and Morocco as indicated by the lighting and setting of this painting. The subject derives from the 2nd century Protevangelium of James which describes Mary receiving the Annunciation from an invisible angel while gathering water from a well. Infra-red photography reveals that the composition originally featured a woman wearing a headscarf seated, behind Mary, at the lower left.

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