The Bigger Picture: The Nativity and how it’s changed

With this term at an end and Christmas just around the corner, it’s that time of year where everyone is reminded of their childhood and their own Christmas traditions. Whether that is going to the Christmas market, suggesting secret Santa to your friends because you’re deep into your overdraft, or nearly ruining Christmas by playing Monopoly with your family. There are so many different things that make Christmas time that little bit more festive and special to each person. Some may be reminded of the festive season at school; Christmas dinner in the cafeteria, watching The Grinch in class and of course the Nativity play at the end of the term. The Nativity is the story of Christ’s birth and it’s originally why we have Christmas today. Religious scenes have been the main source of artistic inspiration for centuries, and in this column, I’d like to show you just how and why the depiction of The Nativity has changed over time.

Giotto produced images that depicted the Life of Christ, in Padua, that established him as a household name of the Early Renaissance

The first image on our timeline is from 1304-1306. The artist, Giotto, depicts the Adoration of the Magi, where Mary, Jesus and Joseph are being visited by three kings that present them with gold, frankincense and Myrrh. Giotto’s popular works are very recognisable from the signature blue background within the Arena Chapel in Padua, Italy. By using crushed lapis lazuli, the pigment called ultramarine was created. Giotto produced images that depicted the Life of Christ, in Padua, that established him as a household name of the Early Renaissance. Giotto used a painting technique called fresco, where the medium is painted directly onto the wet plaster of the wall, allowing it to be preserved for a very long time. In Christian scenes in art, it is common for the important biblical figures to have thin halos around their heads. Alternatively, in this painting we can see that these bigger halos aren’t what you would usually expect. When painting in the fresco technique it was really difficult to achieve small details, as the pigment mixture dried ridiculously fast and couldn’t be worked on once dried. This way of painting made three dimensional figures look pretty flat as well from the lack of luminosity and depth, which is why everyone looks squashed together.

The next painting on our journey of the nativity is Rogier Van der Weyden’s Adoration of the Magi. Painted in 1455, Van der Weyden was considered one of the most important artists of his time. As we can see after 150 years, there have been some changes in the way artists produce their work. Oil painting was introduced in Northern Europe during the 15th century, this new medium allowed artists to dabble in detailing, 3 dimensional space and a new range of vivid colours. Unlike Giotto’s painting, the halos in this one are not as blunt; they are subtle and more translucent with the use of oil painting and glazing. With the increase of optical effects within Northern Europe at this time, we can see the commitment to detail and Van der Weyden’s eagerness to show off.

Caravaggio is considered a pioneer of the chiaroscuro technique, creating biblical scenes that seem more intimate and emotional

The year is 1609, we have left the Renaissance and entered the Baroque period of Italy. The Baroque period is defined by the technique of chiaroscuro, which is the contrast of light and dark elements. Caravaggio is considered a pioneer of the chiaroscuro technique, creating biblical scenes that seem more intimate and emotional. Rather than a posed and grand display of skill, Caravaggio creates a scene where the viewers feel included in his painting, Adoration of the Shepherds.  Mary’s body is turned towards the viewer, whilst the Shepherd’s body language and gaze is pointedly leading to her. The body language of the figures almost beckons us into the scene and to focus on Mary with her child. The setting is plain and realistic, with Mary’s halo thin and subtle, displaying the mother of Christ like any other young mother welcoming her child into the world.

William Blake creates a deeply intimate scene of a young woman exhausted from childbirth, that makes us feel as though we are intruding

Fast forward nearly 200 years to William Blake’s The Nativity in 1799. This painting closely aligns with the values of Romanticism, a period of art that flourished at the end of the 17th century. Prioritising individualism, imagination and mysticism, Blake clearly shows this in this artwork. The grainy effect of Blake’s painting technique creates a dream-like scene. Focusing less on the realism of the human body, the floating baby Christ does look like a small man rather than a newborn. His use of light emphasises Christ as the most important figure whilst illuminating the other figures to show their important but secondary status. Unlike Giotto and Van der Weyden, William Blake creates a deeply intimate scene of a young woman exhausted from childbirth, that makes us feel as though we are intruding. Even the cows are minding their own business!