Pictures related to Christmas. Western European artists of the Middle Ages and Renaissance
Nativity in art
One can hardly imagine an event that could serve as a richer source of artistic inspiration than the event of the Nativity of Christ, the realization of the mystery of the incarnation of the Infinite God, with the miraculous circumstances that accompanied it. From the most ancient times to the present day, it awakens in ordinary people the brightest, most good feelings, and in people of art - the need to create, to create, spreading in time and space the joy of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to our world.
Not a single type of art - fine and non-representative, static and dynamic - has ignored this truly crucial moment in the history of mankind. We bring to your attention the most significant creations of world culture glorifying the Nativity of Christ.
Painting
Perhaps nowhere has the theme of the Nativity of Christ yielded such rich fruits as in painting. From the times of the first Christians and the cave paintings of the catacombs to the paintings of the modernists, artists have found an inexhaustible source of inspiration in Christmas.
Among the monuments of Christian antiquity discovered in the Roman catacombs, the fresco on one of the internal walls of the square arcosolium in the so-called Priscilla catacomb attracts special attention. This fresco (a work from the end of the 1st century) is the oldest Christian icon, testifying to how the first Christians tried to clearly express the greatest, fundamental truth of Christianity - the truth of the Incarnation.
Here the Mother of God is depicted as a young woman with classically regular facial features and a meek, somewhat pensive look. There is a veil on Her head, and Her clothing is an ordinary Roman short-sleeved tunic, over which is thrown a pallium. She, sitting in a calm pose, with maternal tenderness and caution, lifts from her knees and brings to her chest the undressed Baby, whose face is turned back to the viewer. A little to the side the figure of a man in the clothes of an ancient philosopher is still visible; This man apparently holds a scroll in his left hand, and with his right hand he points to the star above the Mother of God and the Child.
Later, medieval artists added little variety to the depiction of the Nativity. The main feelings they sought to convey were jubilation and joy. In their paintings we always meet the rejoicing Mother of God, sitting by the swaddled and lying in the manger of the Infant of God, the serious, immersed in thought of the righteous Joseph, shepherds with an expression of surprised reverence on their faces and above - angels singing their solemn hymn: “Glory to God in the highest, and there is peace on earth and good will among men.”
The artistic treatment of the legend of the Nativity of Christ in this tone continued almost without any changes until the 14th century. Most Interest among the paintings of this time are a painting by Orcagna, which is a reproduction of the gospel story for those who could not read, and a painting by Giotto, in which signs of naturalism appear, that is, the desire to introduce into this story features of purely human conditions of life.
The most remarkable series works of art on the theme of Christmas begins with a painting by Piero della Francesca - a representative of the Early Renaissance. A painting by this author, now in the British national gallery, full of originality and charm. The newborn Christ lies on a pillow among flowers. At His feet, bowing in prayer, stands the Most Holy Theotokos in divine simplicity. Behind her, righteous Joseph sits on the saddle, and behind him stand shepherds, one of whom points to the sky.
The Renaissance gave the world many beautiful paintings dedicated to Christmas. Among them are “The Adoration of the Magi” by Lenardo da Vinci; paintings by Sandro Botticelli, a Florentine artist and deeply religious Christian who worked in all the major churches of Florence and in Sistine Chapel Vatican; “The Nativity of Christ” by Lorenzo di Credi, in whose painting everything is immersed in bright and calm silence; "Nativity of Christ" by Tintoretto, painter Venetian school, late Renaissance; artist's work German school Albrecht Durer and many others.
If the European artistic tradition gave the world its masterpieces on the Christmas theme mainly during the Renaissance, then Russian painting actively drew inspiration from this source in the 19th century. Among the most famous artists who covered this topic in their work, one can name Alexander Ivanov, author of the worldwide famous painting“The Appearance of Christ to the People”, Ilya Repin (“The Nativity of Christ”, 1890), Viktor Vasnetsov and Mikhail Nesterov, works by Grigory Gagarin, and many others.
In general, it is difficult to name at least one artist who would not in one way or another touch on the theme of Christmas in his work. Different in the degree of spiritual content and depth of penetration into the highest, sacred meaning Nativity of Christ, these paintings continue to remain masterpieces of world culture.
Music
Talking about musical embodiment Christmas theme, we must first of all remember the whole trend that created musical art in this area, - the Christmas oratorio.
Oratorio is a genre of non-liturgical sacred music that developed in Rome during the Counter-Reformation era by the mid-17th century. The works of Giacomo Carissimi are considered the first classical examples of this genre. From the middle XVII century When the commercial opera house became the main form of cultural entertainment, oratorios were performed primarily in Lent. Opera houses throughout Europe were closed during this period, and lovers opera art there was nothing left to do but enjoy (and learn from) oratorios, which in the 17th - 1st half of the 18th centuries were often called “spiritual operas.” At that time, the plot of the Nativity of Christ was not uncommon in oratorios, but not more often than a number of others. One of the first to turn to him was Marc Antoine Charpentier, a Frenchman and student of J. Carissimi.
There is no strict canon in oratorios; rather, XVII-XVIII centuries there were more or less stable national and confessional traditions of works of the oratorio genre. Thus, among Catholics, oratorios were written to a libretto and performed outside the service.
In the Lutheran tradition, works of an oratorio character were heard during the Divine service and were either written entirely on the biblical text - as in “The History of the Nativity” by Heinrich Schütz, created in the middle of the 17th century (1664), or were based on it - as in the famous “Christmas Oratorio” "by Johann Sebastian Bach, which is, in fact, a cycle of church cantatas that were performed during all Christmastide (1734).
Both quantitatively and spiritually, artistic relations The oratorio genre flourished in the 17th-18th centuries. At the same time, wonderful Christmas compositions appear in other genres: instrumental concerts(the most famous of them by Arcangelo Corelli), arrangements for instruments of French traditional Christmas songs - noels.
Subsequent centuries are significantly inferior to the patterns of previous centuries. Authors such as Schütz, Bach, Handel brought theologically verified and humanly experienced thought into their spiritual works, in all their the finest nuances captured by means of the musical language of their time. Composers of subsequent eras, perhaps, failed to do something comparable.
Among the works of composers of the 20th century, one can note the organ cycle of Olivier Messiaen “The Nativity of the Lord” (1935), which includes 9 pieces (“meditations*-”), mainly on traditional Christmas subjects (“Our Lady and Child”, “Shepherds”, “Angels”, "Magi"). Among the Russian composers, it is necessary to mention Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov, one of the first to transform Russian Christmas folklore into a classical musical work, and his opera “The Night Before Christmas” (1895). Among our contemporaries, the most famous continuer of the tradition of the Christmas oratorio is Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev).
Literature
The Christmas theme occupies an important place in Russian and foreign literature. There is even a special genre of Yuletide, or Christmas, story. Its tradition originates in medieval mystery plays, the theme and style of which were strictly determined by the sphere of their existence - carnival religious performance. The three-level construction of space (hell - earth - heaven) and general atmosphere a miraculous change in the world or a hero passing through all three stages of the universe in the course of the story. The traditional Christmas story has a bright and joyful ending, in which goodness invariably triumphs.
Charles Dickens is rightfully considered the founder of this genre of literature. A kind of hymn to Christmas is his “Christmas Stories” - in 1843 “A Christmas Carol” was published, followed by “The Bells”, “The Cricket on the Stove”, “The Battle of Life”, “Obsessed”. In these works, the main themes are childhood and memory; the author talks about love for man and the value of the human soul.
The tradition of Charles Dickens was adopted by both European and Russian literature and received further development. A striking example of the genre in European literature It is generally accepted to consider “The Little Match Girl” by G.-H. Andersen, as well as his fairy tales “The Spruce Tree”, “The Christmas Lantern”, “The Snow Queen”.
One of the most famous and popular foreign works about Christmas is also a fairy tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". Less known among us, but no less interesting work for Christmas - the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Mary’s Child”. This tale tells the story of a girl who was given to the Virgin Mary by her poor father. As often happens in fairy tales, the Virgin Mary gave her the keys to 13 doors, but only 12 could be opened. The girl opened 13, but everything ended as well as possible thanks to the heroine’s repentance.
In Russian literary tradition the Christmas story was quickly accepted and partially rethought, fortunately the ground had already been prepared in such a way Gogol's work, like "The Night Before Christmas". In Russia, in contrast to the Dickenian tradition, more realistic works were created that combined Gospel motifs with an enhanced social component. In the Yuletide story of Russian literature, tragic and at the same time deeply Christian endings are not uncommon. Among the most significant works of Russian writers written in the genre of Christmas stories is “The Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree” by F.M. Dostoevsky, cycle Christmas stories N.S. Leskova, Christmas stories by A.P. Chekhov (for example, “Boys”, “Vanka”), stories by A.I. Kuprina (" Wonderful doctor", "Taper", "Poor Prince"). A kind of ontology of Russian holidays, including Christmas, can be found in Ivan Shmelev’s story “The Summer of the Lord” in its two chapters - “Christmas” and “Christmastide”. During the Soviet period, the tradition of the Christmas story was lost, and its place was taken by New Year's stories(A. Gaidar “Chuk and Gek”, M. Zoshchenko “Yelka”, etc.).
Cinematography and animation
With the invention of cinema at the end of the 19th century, the art of cinematography gained great popularity. Despite its relatively young age, this art form has also given the world Christmas masterpieces. Among the classics of Christmas movies, one must first name Frank Capra with his film “It's a Wonderful Life” (1946). The main character of the film is George Bailey, the owner of a small bank, who devoted his entire life to people - the residents of his hometown, his family. He is opposed by a selfish and cruel banker who seeks to subjugate the entire city. When he almost drives George to suicide, an angel comes to his aid, showing him what would have happened to the city and its inhabitants if George Bailey had not been there. As a result, the main character returns to his family, and is saved from bankruptcy by numerous residents whom he once helped.
Another great Christmas movie is Miracle on 34th Street (1947) by Les Mae fi lda. An old man passing by, who is quite accidentally invited to replace Site-Claus in one of the large stores, successfully copes with his role. However, he soon has a conflict with the store owner: the old man does not want to sell stale toys to children. In the course of all the twists and turns, it turns out that the old man can really work miracles, and this helps Susan, his very skeptical young acquaintance, to believe in miracles again.
IN last years A large number of domestic films are released on screens dedicated to Christmas. The most touching of them tell about unfortunate lonely people to whom a miracle happens on Christmas or New Year's Eve: love finally comes to them. This is the plot of the film “Come See Me” (2000) by Oleg Yankovsky and Mikhail Agranovich. Another version of the New Year and Christmas plot is the transformation of a bandit into a good person. We can observe the transformation of the unlucky burglar Berezkin into a savior in Tigran Keosayan’s film “Poor Sasha.”
Among the most remarkable animated Christmas works, we should note the 2009 cartoon “A Christmas Carol,” based on the work of Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol.” This instructive story about the old and bitter miser Scrooge, who despises everything except money, including friendship, love and the Christmas holidays. During one Christmas night, he undergoes various tests, as a result of which he is spiritually and morally reborn.
Summarizing the review of the most significant phenomena in the field various arts, we can note with regret that the deep meaning of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ gradually disappeared over the centuries, being replaced first by the moral miracle of human transformation, and then simply by a miracle - the fulfillment of a cherished dream or unexpected help in a difficult situation. However, even these fruits of art, which are very far from true Christianity, are capable of awakening good and bright feelings in the modern ossified human heart.
Merry Christmas!
Materials used in preparing the article
books by A. Mityakin,
interview with R. Nasonov
and other Internet sources.
Author - M. Safyanova
The emergence of images of a particular holiday is usually associated with the emergence of a stable tradition of celebration. In the early Church there was a celebration of Epiphany (Epiphany), dedicated to two events at once: the Incarnation and Baptism. This combined celebration arose no later than the 3rd century. In the 6th century, first in the Roman Church, and towards the end of the century in the East, the Nativity of Christ was distinguished from the celebration of Epiphany into an independent separate celebration. The first images of Christmas that have come down to us date back to the 6th century.
The sources of iconography were: Holy Bible(Matt.:1-2; Luke:2), and oral tradition, recorded in such apocrypha as the Proto-Gospel of James (chap. 17-23) and the Gospel of pseudo-Matthew ch. 13-14).
The incarnation of the Savior was described in fine arts using two main plots: the “Christmas” itself and the “Adoration of the Magi.” Each of these subjects has its own iconography. The oldest images Nativity scenes are made using the relief technique on stone sarcophagi.
The layout of these scenes is usually very laconic: in the center there is a manger with the Baby, next to it the Virgin Mary sits on a stone or in a wicker chair, in the sky - Star of Bethlehem. A donkey and an ox are depicted at the manger, the presence of which in the den is told by Tradition. The ox is understood by interpreters as a symbol of the lawful Jewish people, and the donkey as a symbol of the pagans who do not know the true God. Sometimes the composition includes an image of a shepherd who came to worship Christ.
When creating the iconography “Adoration of the Magi”, the artists used the already existing ancient art the plot of the worship of the defeated barbarians to the emperor. Where the surface had an extended horizontal format (on sarcophagi, pyxids), the scene unfolded as a procession of the Magi to the seated Virgin Mary holding the Child in her arms. Joseph the Betrothed could be depicted behind the Virgin Mary. The composition was sometimes supplemented with images of an ox, donkey, and camels.
If the surface allowed a centric, symmetrical composition (example: ampoules from Monza), then the frontal image of the Virgin and Child was placed in the center, and groups of wise men and shepherds were placed on either side of the throne. The arrival of the Magi chronologically occurred somewhat later than the worship of the shepherds, but in Christian art the combination of these events was allowed. The main thing for an artist has always been expression deep meaning what was happening, so some formal details might not be emphasized or even ignored. In this version of the iconography, the main theme is the Incarnation of the Divine and the worship of Him by the created world in the person of wise magicians and simple shepherds.
On the mosaic of the arch of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, in the center of the composition, only the Child sits on a richly decorated throne, and the Mother of God, righteous Joseph, and the Magi are placed to the right and left of Him. When depicting the Magi, a certain historicism is always observed: they came from the East, that is, from somewhere in Persia, therefore they are dressed unusually for the ancient world - in trousers and characteristic Phrygian caps.
In the 6th century, the Virgin Mary began to be depicted not sitting near a manger, but reclining on a bed. This feature could have arisen as a result of polemics with the Monophysites, who argued that in Christ there is only one nature - Divine. The Church, rejecting this heretical error, defended the dogma of two natures in Christ: Divine and human. In the iconographic scheme, the refutation of Monophysitism found its way allegorical expression. Christ is born in the flesh in a completely real way, His human nature is real, therefore the Mother of God rests after childbirth, which, although it did not violate virginity, was still childbirth, and not a ghostly, unreal phenomenon.
Already in early Christian monuments, an image of a “woman” appears - one of the midwives who came to the nativity scene after the birth of Christ. Works from the Middle Byzantine period depict both midwives washing the Child. This somewhat “everyday” scene - ablution - is not described either in the Gospel or in the apocrypha. Its inclusion in the composition once again emphasized the authenticity of the human nature of the Savior and the reality of Christmas - after giving birth, any child needs to be washed.
The first easel painting monument depicting the Nativity of Christ is a scene painted on the lid of a reliquary from the Sancta Sanctorum chapel. The stylistic features of the painting suggest that the reliquary comes from the eastern provinces of the empire, from Syria or Palestine. The artist depicted the nativity scene as a cave because he had a good idea of what a shelter for livestock would look like in Judea. Western artists depicted what they saw in their lands - a canopy covered with straw or tiles.
Opposite the Mother of God, Joseph the Betrothed sits on a stone, supporting his bowed head with his hand, in a “pose of melancholy.” He looks thoughtful, as if detached; he contemplates the incomprehensibility of the mystery of the Incarnation. On the other hand, this pose emphasizes the non-involvement of righteous Joseph in this birth. On some Byzantine and Russian icons, the Betrothed is even depicted sitting with his back to the cave. This compositional solution makes it impossible to understand what is happening as a kind of sentimental family scene. Before us is precisely the Incarnation of God, the birth in the flesh of the Eternal God from Holy Virgin and any details associated with the theme of family are completely inappropriate. Developed in Western Europe image " Holy family"with its obvious family pathos was unacceptable for Eastern Christian art.
IN Byzantine art a small hill with a cave gradually turns into a massive mountain, against the backdrop of which all the episodes can be placed: the nativity scene itself with the Virgin and Child in a manger, over which an ox and a donkey are bending, the angel’s gospel to the shepherds, the angels praising God, the adoration of the Magi (or the Magi, galloping on horseback), the washing of Chad by the midwives, and the thoughtful Joseph. Some icons depict minor scenes: the Magi before Herod, the revelation to Joseph, the flight to Egypt, the massacre of the infants.
The mountain motif is a very successful compositional find. Portraying Mountain landscape, the artist automatically receives a high horizon and, accordingly, a lot of space to accommodate all the figures. There is even empty space left, filled pastoral motifs: a shepherd playing the flute, a flock at a watering hole. The mountain allows us to avoid the undesirable image of the depth of space and perspective construction for the icon.
On the other hand, with the image of a huge mountain, all scenes are united in a single space, and even some single time. The chronological difference in time of the presented plots is leveled out. Everything happens as if in the present, today, “here and now,” as the kontakion of the holiday tells about this: “Today a virgin gives birth to the Most Essential, and the earth brings a den to the Unapproachable: angels with shepherds praise, and wolves with a star travel: for our sake was born From a young age, Eternal God.”
Icon. VII – IX centuries Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai
Icon. VIII – IX centuries Byzantium
Icon. End of the 11th – beginning of the 12th century. Constantinople. Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai
Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn. Engraving. 1654
God Himself came into the world of people in human form, into a world crippled by sin, in order to take upon himself all the evil of the world and defeat it. He came not in a blaze of glory, but as a tiny helpless Baby, born in a poor place, unknown to anyone. famous family. In all centuries of Christian history, this fact has resonated with such force in the Christian heart that the Nativity of Christ has become one of the favorite subjects for artists. Already in the very first early Christian monuments of art one can find images of the Nativity.Let's try to take a little journey together into the world of colors and lines, with the help of which the old masters conveyed to modern man the beauty and joy of the Nativity of Christ.
Art of the First Christians
For the first three centuries of Christian history (I-III centuries AD), a separate holiday of Christmas did not exist.
It was connected with the feast of the Epiphany under the same name of Epiphany - the coming of God into the world of people. Only in the 4th century, when the Roman Emperor Constantine the Greatallowed Christians to openly profess their faith and Christians came out of the catacombs, the Christmas holiday became an independent bright event of the annual liturgical and calendar circle. Gradually, a tradition of writing the plot of the Nativity began to develop. .
Nativity. Old Russian icon of the 15th century.
Byzantine and Russian icons of the Nativity of ChristThe first Christians depicted the Nativity of Christ very simply, as children usually draw it - a manger with the Baby, the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph bending over them, next to an ox and a donkey. Sometimes (much less often) shepherds and wise men were depicted. Archaeologists find just such images of the Birthfood on ancient Roman Christian sarcophagi, on bottles for lamp oil. With the appearance of the first icons (the earliest known icons date back to the 6th century AD), the iconography of the Nativity of Christ was formed, which will remain virtually unchanged until the 21st century.
Icon painting has its own special canons for depicting Sacred History. The icon painter does not set himself the task of drawing an illustration for the Christmas narrative of the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. The Nativity of Christ is viewed from the point of view of eternity, where everything is different, not the same as on earth.
Therefore, for example, it is not surprising that the Nativity icon depicts several events that took place in different time- the appearance of a star, Christmas itself, the appearance of angels to the shepherds, the procession of the wise men. If all this were depicted by a secular artist, he would undoubtedly offer the audience a series of paintings on the theme of Christmas, where he would depict everything in sequence. This, by the way, happened during the Renaissance (XV-XVI centuries). And the icon painter combines everything in one icon, because in eternity there is no “when” and “then,” but only “today,” that is, “now and forever.”
In human history, in time, the Nativity of Christ took place only once. But for the Church, which every year again and again enters the space of Christmas, this event is not just historical fact, dividing time into “before the Nativity of Christ” and “after.” This is the event of the meeting of God and man, time and Eternity. This is not “once”, but “forever”.
In the space of the icon, the “joy of greatness” about the birth of the Savior of the world, which the angels announced to the shepherds, also looks completely different from joy in the ordinary, everyday sense. The icon seems to offer a different understanding of the holiday - not a rich table, not bright clothes, not songs and dances, but silence, peace and gratitude. Silence and peace of the figures of the Mother and the swaddled Baby, quiet sheep at the feet of the shepherds looking at the sky. This is the joy that is experienced inside, in the heart.
The classical Byzantine iconographic depiction of the Nativity of Christ includes three visual plans (tiers) - the top, “heaven,” the center, “the union of heaven and earth,” and the bottom, “earth.”
Old Russian icons almost always follow the Byzantine tradition. Only in the 17th century did icons appear, the composition of which is very reminiscent Western European painting. In the icons of this time, in addition to the actual plot of the Nativity, the plot of the flight to Egypt and the beating of infants by order of King Herod appear.
Sky, star, mountains
What and, most importantly, why does the master place in each tier of the image?
At the top of the icon is usually depicted open sky and a shining star. The ray of the star touches the top of the mountain, inside of which there is a cave - a “den”. The star and the cave are a kind of concrete illustration of the Gospel story about Christmas, but the open sky and the top of the mountain are already filled with symbolic meaning. You can often come across the expression: “Christmas is heaven on earth.” It is quite possible that the icon painter means exactly this when depicting the open sky.
Since Christmas, heaven has become open to man; he can, if he wants, move towards God. Because Christ, having taken the form of a human baby, suffered and died on the Cross, and then resurrected, cured man of sin. And the path to heaven is open. Only a person must pass it himself, climbing up.
So the symbolic meaning of the mountain becomes clear - the mountains are depicted here not only as a reflection of the real mountainous landscape of the Holy Land, but also as an image of the movement of the human soul upward, towards God, through overcoming the obstacles of a previous, sinful life. The angels on the sides of the mountain are also from heaven, mountain world where God lives. Moreover, the sky is meant not as an astronomical, natural-scientific concept, not as something that covers the earth, but as something that denotes limitlessness and purity.
Cave, donkey, ox, manger
Inside the cave, they usually depict the Virgin Mary lying on a bed, who is depicted larger than other participants in the event, and a tiny swaddled Christ, around whose head a cross-shaped halo shines (a halo with a cross inscribed in it is a mandatory attribute of the image of the Savior, indicating His suffering on the cross).
It is interesting that the Mother of God usually does not look at the Child, but looks at us. This often causes confusion. How is it that the Mother does not look at the Son? But this is done quite deliberately to show that the Baby does not belong to the Mother, He came into the world to save it.
An ox and a donkey (sometimes a horse and a cow) are usually depicted next to a wooden manger. This detail is not only a hint that Christmas took place in a stable, but also an illustration to the book of the prophet Isaiah, who predicted the birth of Christ from the Virgin many thousands of years before the event itself: “The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger...”(Isaiah 1:3). In addition, some researchers believe that the ox and the donkey are images of two worlds - Israeli and pagan, for the salvation of which the Lord came into the world.
It is also important to pay attention to the shape of the manger, which is similar to the shape of the tomb - Christ was born into the world to die for it and rise for it.
Shepherds and Magi
Shepherds and wise men are often depicted on either side of the Virgin Mary; their figures are much smaller than the figure of the Virgin Mary. In the person of simple illiterate but believing shepherds and in the person of pagan wise men and women, the Lord appeared to the whole world. And now every person can find his own way to God - both a not very educated, but kind and honest person, and a modern intellectual, whose heart is often infected with arrogance and arrogance.
Righteous Joseph
In the lower tier, the icons usually depict Joseph sitting in thought with a shepherd standing in front of him, and two women washing the newborn Baby.
The scene with the shepherd is usually explained this way - an evil spirit torments Joseph’s soul with doubts: how could the Birth happen? But many researchers agree that this is most likely the shepherd from the apocryphal tales of the Nativity, to whom Joseph turned in search of shelter and fire for the Baby. The most often used in iconography and painting is the apocryphal “Proto-Gospel of Jacob,” which tells about the childhood years of the Savior and the childhood of the Mother of God.
Washing the Child
The scene of the washing of the Child, about which neither Matthew nor Luke says anything, is also taken from the Proto-Gospel of James. On the one hand, this is a purely everyday detail associated with the birth of a child. In ancient times and the Middle Ages, it was customary to wash a newborn, as it is now. Hence the font and the jug of water.
But there is a second explanation for this. The Apocrypha introduces purely human elements into the story of the Nativity of God, everyday details. The Proto-Gospel of Jacob tells how Joseph left the Mother of God alone in a cave and went to look for a midwife who would help deliver the baby. A midwife named Salome doubted that the Virgin could give birth and wanted to see for herself. This is what happened next in the text:
“And as soon as Salome extended her finger, she screamed and said: “Woe to my unbelief, for I dared to tempt God. And now my hand is taken away, as if on fire...” And then the Angel of the Lord appeared before her and said to her, “Salome, Salome, the Lord has listened to you, raise your hand to the Baby and hold Him, and healing and joy will come for you.” And Salome came and took the Child, saying: “I will worship Him, for He was born great king Israel. And Salome was immediately healed..."
We can try to offer another simple interpretation of the scene of the washing of the Child. The font depicted on the icon is easily recognizable as the font in which infants are usually baptized in the Church, introducing them to life with God.
Western European artists of the Middle Ages and Renaissance
The works of European artists of the Early (V-XI centuries) and Mature Middle Ages (XI-XIII centuries) in principle repeat the Byzantine icon painting tradition. Only a few details are added that cannot be found in Byzantine and Old Russian icons.
A characteristic feature of European Christian painting is the desire not so much to inspire a person to move the soul upward, towards God, but to “bring down” God from heaven to earth, to make Him accessible to man, to mix sacred history and everyday life. human history, dissolving one into the other.
Census in Bethlehem
One of the details of the event of the Nativity of Christ, which is not in the iconography, but is in the painting, is the image of the population census, with the story of which the Christmas chapter of the Gospel of Luke begins: “In those days a command came from Caesar Augustus to make a census of the whole earth...”(Luke 2:1).
Wonderful master Northern Renaissance Pieter Bruegel the Elder (16th century) dedicated this subject famous painting"Census in Bethlehem." But what appears to the viewer’s eyes is not the mountainous Holy Land, but the snow-capped Netherlands. The artist transfers gospel events into his contemporary world. There is always snow at Christmas in northern Europe, so righteous Joseph and the Virgin Mary wander through the snow.
The fact that this is the Holy Family (as it was customary to say in Europe of the 14th-17th centuries) can only be guessed by looking at the donkey on which the Virgin Mary sits, and the saw on the shoulder of Joseph the carpenter. Huge masses of people, among whom the modest Holy Family was lost, depict crowds of people who came to the census. But nothing else tells us that the great event of Christmas is about to take place. Dutch peasants are busy with their household chores, children frolic on the ice.
Only a Christmas wreath nailed above the door of the house and a roast pig hint at the holiday of Christmas. But these are again not gospel details, but the reality of everyday life in the Netherlands during the Renaissance.
Cave, house, hotel
Often in European paintings on the theme of the Nativity of Christ, instead of a cave, you can see a dilapidated, almost destroyed house.
On the one hand, such a house symbolized the fact that Christ was born in poverty and obscurity, and on the other hand, an old, dilapidated house meant Old Testament, which with the coming of Christ into the world was replaced by the commandments of the New Testament.
Some researchers see in this image of a house an image of a hotel, such as was common in the East. It was a caravanserai, a hut with three walls, the fourth side of the house open to the street. Here, in the courtyard, separated by a few steps from the house, cattle graze. Everything that happens in such a house is visible to the eyes of a stranger.
It is quite possible that it was in one of these hotels that the Holy Family was not allowed to spend the night. And, placing such a house-hotel on his canvas, European artists thereby emphasizing the pilgrimage of Christ in this world and His openness to everyone and everything.
Child Christ
On Byzantine and Old Russian icons, the Child Christ is often depicted without age, or vice versa, as a small adult, in order to emphasize the eternity of God and His maturity in relation to people.
IN European painting There are two common types of images of the Baby - either the fragile and thin body of a newborn with disproportionate parts of the body and a large head, as is the case with real newborn babies, or in the form of a well-fed six-month-old baby, or even a one-year-old child. Perhaps this concreteness, physicality in the depiction of Christ is also some tribute of Europeans to their desire to combine sacred and everyday, worldly history?
Around the head of the Infant God in most European paintings there is no cross-shaped halo, and in some there is not even a simple halo - a symbol of holiness.
An interesting move was found by the famous Dutch painter 17th century Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn - he depicts the deep darkness of the Christmas night and, in contrast to the darkness, paints the bright glow of the Baby’s face. The light comes from Himself, and not from the halo painted above the head. So Rembrandt, with the help of bright details, conveys the idea that God Himself is the source of light, goodness, love, holiness.
Angels, shepherds
Often Western European artists depicted angels above a baby not as spiritual beings, but as having the body of cheerful, happy musicians, only with wings on their backs.
The motif of playing the Christ Child on a flute or lutes originates in folk tradition Catholic medieval Europe play at Christmas in front of the image of the Child Christ on the pipe. It is interesting that the notes that the angels hold in their hands contain real musical pieces that can be executed. Some of them are even for multiple instruments and voices. In addition, the angels of European artists (for example, in the painting by Robert Campin) hold ribbons with the words of Christmas carols in their hands.
Shepherds are often depicted with pipes and bagpipes, which may be associated not only with their shepherd’s work, but also with the medieval custom of playing the flute for the Infant Christ.
Magi
Typically, European artists depicted the three wise men according to the number of three human ages (youth, maturity, old age) to emphasize that at any age a person needs God.
Christ the Child plays with the gifts, touches the clothes and hair of the Magi, and they stretch out their hands to Him. God rushes to people in response to their movement towards Him.
Already in the era of the Mature Middle Ages, pagan astrologer magicians turned into three kings who came from three countries of the East (Arabia, Persia and Ethiopia are most often mentioned among these countries). Each king has his own name - Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar. Each brought their own gift to the born Christ - gold (emphasizing the royal dignity of Christ), incense (which is used in worship) and myrrh (it is used to soak a dead body in the East). The gifts of the Magi symbolized the dual nature of Christ - Divine immortality and human mortality.
In Catholic Europe, there is still a holiday of the Three Kings, especially loved by German and French children. On this day (January 6), they receive gifts and wear golden paper crowns, depicting the Magi-kings.
During the Renaissance, the Magi had a magnificent retinue - camels and horses loaded with gifts, numerous servants, as, for example, in the painting “The Adoration of the Magi” by Giotto. Perhaps it was the Renaissance artists who brought into the consciousness of Europeans that understanding of the Christmas holiday, which is very close to modern man- abundance, even luxury of all possible manifestations of the material world as the main attribute of celebration. Isn’t this where the roots of the tradition of a rich festive meal, brilliant outfits, future lush decorated Christmas trees, balls and fireworks come from?
Artists increasingly enlarged this retinue; it often filled the entire field of the picture, so that Christ the Child and the Virgin Mary were barely noticeable. Gradually the same thing happened in everyday life. The reality of Christmas, its absolute meaning for a person of European Christian civilization, was obscured by the bustle of the metropolis. And for many, Christmas days are now just an excuse to attend a pre-holiday sale. Or just a long holiday in the middle of winter.
Renaissance artists, discovering new technical possibilities oil painting, mastered the image real world in every detail. Paintings on the theme of Christmas reveal not only painstakingly drawn folds of clothing according to the then fashion of wealthy Italian or Dutch trading cities, but also portrait features specific people– the artists themselves or their benefactors.
But maybe it's not just a matter of striving for realism. Still, the man of the Renaissance had not yet rejected Christ, and in general his life flowed in line with the Christian tradition, despite the fact that it was in XV-XVI centuries European rationalism is born. Perhaps this is how the Renaissance masters expressed the movement of their soul, which also wanted to worship Christ along with the Magi?
But only two or three hundred years will pass, and rationalism will turn into ordinary atheism, which will give rise to our post-Christian era, where faith and unbelief have become a personal matter individual. And more and more the festively dressed crowd obscures the newborn Baby...
Publications in the Museums section
The theme of the Nativity of Christ in Western religious painting is one of the most popular. Here are ten masterpieces that can be seen in Russian museums today.
Hugo van der Goes. Adoration of the Magi
XV century, Hermitage
The scene of the three eastern sages worshiping the newly born Baby is depicted on the central door of the triptych. In the background are “The Adoration of the Shepherds” and “The Journey of the Magi.” The episode with the circumcision of Christ is written on the left door, and “The Massacre of the Innocents” is written on the right door.
Hugo van der Goes. Adoration of the Magi. XV century, Hermitage
Pseudo Pier Francesco Fiorentino. Adoration of the Madonna and Child Christ. 2nd half of the 15th century, Pushkin Museum
Pseudo Pier Francesco Fiorentino. Adoration of the Madonna and Child Christ
2nd half of the 15th century, Pushkin Museum
Together with the Mother of God, the newborn Child is worshiped by an older child - John the Baptist, according to Western legends - his cousin. Behind John's shoulder you can see a lumberjack's ax stuck into a stump - a reminder that this saint will be beheaded.
Filippino Lippi. Adoration of the Christ Child
around 1480, Hermitage
One of the first Italian artists to use a landscape that was in tune with the mood of the characters. The Madonna and angels flying down from heaven worship the Child on a lawn strewn with flowers, which is surrounded by a fence and symbolizes paradise - after all, the Garden of Eden must have a fence!
Filippino Lippi. Adoration of the Child Christ. Around 1480, Hermitage
Jan Jost Kalkar (follower). Christmas (Holy Night). Around 1520, Pushkin Museum
Jan Jost Kalkar (follower). Christmas" (Holy Night)
around 1520, Pushkin Museum)
The events in the picture take place late at night. Warm light, illuminating the Madonna and the angels, does not come from some artificial source of heat, but from the very body of the Child. The angels at the top left sing, holding a sheet of music in their hands.
Pieter Bruegel the Younger. "Adoration of the Magi"
2nd half of the 16th century, Hermitage
A copy of a painting by the great Pieter Bruegel the Elder, carefully executed by his son. The gospel scene in the lower left corner is difficult to find. The canvas is mainly dedicated to winter everyday life in Holland - for example, a water hole is depicted on the ice, from where the townspeople draw water.
Pieter Bruegel the Younger. Adoration of the Magi. 2nd half of the 16th century, Hermitage
Rembrandt van Rijn. Holy Family. 1645, Hermitage
Rembrandt van Rijn. Holy family
1645, Hermitage
Mary with her child and husband are already at home in Nazareth. This is clear from the fact that in the background, in the shadows, the carpenter St. Joseph is written - he stands at his workbench, a strict yoke. One of the angels descending from heaven is in a crucifixion pose to remind the viewer how this family idyll will end.
Paolo Veronese. Adoration of the Magi
1570s, Hermitage
The Italian artist uses a New Testament plot to depict pomp and luxury: expensive fabrics, feathers, draperies, antique architecture. Next to the cow and donkey - true masters the manger where Jesus was born, the camels on which the wise men arrived are written. The muzzles do not look like real ones: the author did not write from life.
Paolo Veronese. Adoration of the Magi. 1570s, Hermitage
Matthias Stomer. Adoration of the Child. 2nd quarter of the 17th century, Saratov State Art Museum named after A.N. Radishcheva
Matthias Stomer. Adoration of the Child
2nd quarter of the 17th century, Saratov State Art Museum named after A.N. Radishcheva
If the artist wanted to depict luxury and wealth, he chose the plot of the Adoration of the Magi-Kings, but if he liked genre scenes, peasant realism and contrasting effects of light and shadow, he painted an episode of the Adoration of the Shepherds. In the hands of the characters in the picture are powerful shepherd's crooks.
Rutilio Manetti. Adoration of the Magi
early 1620s, Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts)
The Bible does not say how many wise men came to Bethlehem to worship the Infant Christ. Therefore, the Armenian and Syrian churches, for example, believe that there were 12 of them. And in Catholicism there are traditionally three of them. They represent the three stages of human age, so the paintings usually show an old man, a mature man and a young man.
Rutilio Manetti “Adoration of the Magi” (early 1620s, Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts)
Bartolome Esteban Murillo “Adoration of the Shepherds” (1646-1650, Hermitage)
Bartolome Esteban Murillo. Worship of the Shepherds
1646–1650, Hermitage
One of the legends says that the shepherds, to whom the angel announced the birth of the Messiah, were guarding not an ordinary flock, but animals that were intended for sacrifice in the Jerusalem temple. According to theological interpretations, these simple people symbolize future spiritual shepherds and are the first evangelists.
While they were there, the time came for Her to give birth; and she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6–7). Until the beginning of the 5th century, Christmas was celebrated simultaneously and as a feast of Epiphany. Therefore, the painting mixed the subjects of the birth itself and subsequent episodes, which, strictly speaking, relate more to the Epiphany - the worship of the Magi (kings), the worship of the shepherds, which do not always include an image of the birth of Christ directly.
Joseph's dream.
Alexander Andreevich Ivanov. 1850s
Paper, watercolor, Italian pencil.
Moscow. State Tretyakov Gallery
Nativity.
Gagarin Grigory Grigorievich
Adoration of the Magi.
Gagarin Grigory Grigorievich
Nativity of Christ (Adoration of the Shepherds).
Shebuev Vasily Kozmich. 1847 Oil on canvas. 233x139.5 cm.
Image for the Annunciation Church of the Horse Guards Regiment in St. Petersburg
Nativity.
Repin Ilya Efimovich. 1890 Oil on canvas. 73x53.3.
The appearance of an angel announcing the birth of Christ to the shepherds. Sketch.
Ivanov Alexander Andreevich. 1850s.
Brown paper, watercolor, white, Italian pencil. 26.4x39.7
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The Doxology of the Shepherds.
Ivanov Alexander Andreevich. 1850
The appearance of an angel to the shepherds.
Petrovsky Pyotr Stepanovich (1814-1842). 1839 Oil on canvas. 213x161.
Cherepovets Museum Association
For this painting, the young artist, a student of Karl Bryullov, received the first large gold medal of the Academy of Arts in 1839. The canvas was in the Museum of the Imperial Academy of Arts until its closure, then it was transferred to the Cherepovets Museum of Local Lore.
Nativity.
Vasnetsov Viktor Mikhailovich. 1885-1896
Murals of the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv
Nativity.
Vishnyakov Ivan Yakovlevich and others, 1755
From the Trinity-Petrovsky Cathedral.
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Christmas.
Borovikovsky Vladimir Lukich. 1790 Oil on canvas.
Tver regional Art Gallery
Nativity.
Borovikovsky Vladimir Lukich. Canvas, oil
Historical, Architectural and Art Museum "New Jerusalem"
Nativity.
M.V. Nesterov. 1890-1891 Paper on cardboard, gouache, gold. 41 x 31.
Sketch of the painting of the altar wall of the southern aisle in the choir of the Vladimir Cathedral
State Tretyakov Gallery
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=15006
Nativity.
Sketch of the painting of the altar wall of the southern chapel in the choir of the Vladimir Cathedral.
Nesterov Mikhail Vasilievich. 1890–1891 Paper on cardboard, gouache, gold. 41x31.8
State Tretyakov Gallery
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=14959
Nativity.
M. V. Nesterov. 1890
The kneeling figure of a young man with a staff in his hand. Hand holding a staff. Hand raised to mouth.
M.V. Nesterov. Etude. 1890-1891 Paper on cardboard, graphite pencil, Italian pencil, charcoal. 49x41.
Preparatory studies for the figure of one of the shepherds of the composition "The Nativity of Christ" (the southern altar is attached to the choir of St. Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv)
Kyiv state museum Russian art
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=4661
Christmas (Bow to the Kings).
M.V. Nesterov. 1903
Fragment of the painting of the northern wall of the church in the name of the blessed prince Alexander Nevsky
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=15189
Christmas (Bow to the Kings).
M.V. Nesterov. 1899-1900 Paper on cardboard, graphite pencil, gouache, watercolor, bronze, aluminum. 31x49.
Sketch of the painting of the northern wall of the church in the name of the blessed prince Alexander Nevsky.
State Russian Museum
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=15177
Magi. Sketch
Ryabushkin Andrey Petrovich. Paper, watercolor
Kostroma State United Art Museum
Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lebedev Klavdiy Vasilievich (1852-1816)
Angelic praise at the moment of the birth of the Savior.
Lebedev Klavdiy Vasilievich (1852-1816)
Nativity.
Lebedev Klavdiy Vasilievich (1852-1816). Graphic arts.
Adoration of the Magi.
Klavdiy Vasilievich Lebedev,
Church and Archaeological Office of the MDA
Adoration of the Magi.
Valerian Otmar. 1897 Oil on canvas, 71x66.
Original mosaic for the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
The appearance of an angel to the shepherds. Nativity. Candlemas.
Nativity.
Mosaic based on the original by I. F. Porfirov
Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Savior on Spilled Blood), St. Petersburg
Christmas and others sacred scenes from the life of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God.
I. Ya. Bilibin.
Sketch of a fresco for the southern wall of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Olshany
Magi (wise men).
Pavel Nikolaevich Filonov. 1914 Watercolor, brown ink, ink, pen, brush on paper. 37x39.2 cm.
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Olga's Gallery
Adoration of the Magi.
Pavel Nikolaevich Filonov. 1913 Wood, pencil, gouache. 45.7x34.9.
Private collection
Initially, the work was in the possession of the artist’s sister Evdokia Glebova.
On October 17, 1990 it was sold to an anonymous person at Sotheby's auction,
then on November 29, 2006, it was sold again at Christie’s for $1.5 million.
Christie's auction house
Adoration of the Magi.
Pavel Nikolaevich Filonov. 1913. Paper, gouache (tempera?), 35.5x45.5.
Private collection, Switzerland
Publication Tretyakov Gallery, 2006
http://www.tg-m.ru/articles/06/04/042–049.pdf
Source sites for reproductions: