Nativity in Art

The Nativity in Art

The Nativity of Jesus has been a major subject of Christian art since the 4th century. The artistic depictions of the Nativity or birth of Jesus, celebrated at Christmas, are based on the narratives in the Bible, in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and further elaborated by written, oral and artistic tradition.

The Nativity has been depicted in many different media, both pictorial and sculptural. Pictorial forms include murals, panel paintings, manuscript illuminations, stained glass windows and oil paintings. Sculptural representations of the Nativity include architectural features such as capitals and door lintels and free standing sculptures.

Free-standing sculptures of the Nativity often take the form of a "Creche". The scale of the figures may range from miniature to life-sized. These Nativity Scenes probably derived from acted nativity scenes in Rome, and Saint Francis of Assisi gave the tradition a great boost by encouraging their use. This tradition continues to this day, with many small Nativity Scenes being made from porcelain, plaster, plastic or cardboard for display in the home.

Nativity and Annunciation to the Shepherds from the Bamberg Apocalypse, 1000-20 A.D.

(Source: Wikipedia, Nativity of Jesus in Art, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus_in_art)