Painting by Marten de Vos
— Nativity (1577, 106x75cm) _ Three little angels kneel with Mary and Joseph in worship of the newborn Child. The ox and the ass stand behind them. Other angels in the distance announce the birth of Christ to a group of shepherds. The ruin behind Joseph symbolises the defeat of paganism by the coming of the Saviour. The artist has made the symbolism even plainer by including a relief in the classical ruin - a recumbent female nude, possibly Venus, and several playful little naked figures. These represent the pagan world and 'impure', earthly love, as opposed to the divine love in which Christ was conceived.
Marten de Vos spent some time in Italy, where he familiarised himself with the new art of the Renaissance. This is apparent in details like the lively poses, the realistic approach to the anatomy and the references to classical antiquity. The divided upper zone, one half containing an architectural setting and the other a deep landscape, was also typical of 16th-century Venetian art.
Click on the photo for the credits, both for the painting and the information.
I love paintings from this time period. May God bless you all this Christmas.
4 comments:
That is an incredible picture! thanks for the story to go along with it. I love coming across these explanations that accompany the artwork. I get so much more out of it that way.
Beautiful painting. I love artwork. It really depicts Mary and the angels as humble the way they are bent and some their hands are folded.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Paramedic Girl, I also enjoy the explanations, I go searching for them. My appreciation beautiful art work is limited to an emotional reaction, I know so little about the works, it is an area of my education I wish was more complete.
Blessed are the Merciful: Thank you, we had a lovely Christmas.
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