FOR such a key moment in the Bible, it is perhaps surprising that the story of Christ's Nativity is described in only two of the Gospels. The birth does not appear in Mark and John's accounts and those of Luke and Matthew differ in numerous particulars. Luke alone includes such key details as the Annunciation to the shepherds in the fields and their Adoration around the manger, whereas it is Matthew who describes the Magi following the star and the Massacre of the Innocents.
Nevertheless, the Nativity is one of the Bible's great set-piece scenes, with every episode-the journey to Bethlehem, the stable, the Virgin birth, the gathering of shepherds, Wise Men and animals an invitation to artists. From Giotto and Bruegel to Caravaggio and Gauguin, some of the world's greatest painters have picked from its many incidents.
A compulsive artist such as Rembrandt, for example, found in the events surrounding the Nativity something to test his abilities in every emotional register, from dramatic to tender. He would return to its themes again and again, always with insight and originality. One of his greatest etchings shows the Annunciation to the Shepherds (1634) as a moment of not only revelation, but terror. It is a large print, in which the angel emerges from a cloud lit by a glowing orb surrounded by a swirl of cherubim. Their appearance is so unexpected and so startling-literally otherworldly that it has the effect of an explosion, sending men, cattle and goats stampeding in abject fright. A moment before, they were peacefully watching their flocks by night, all seated on the ground; now, they are either fleeing or poleaxed. It is, of course, a more likely interpretation of the episode than the more traditional one, where the rustics simply look at the apparition in mild surprise and take in the message.
This story is from the December 13 - 20, 2023 (Double Issue) edition of Country Life UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 13 - 20, 2023 (Double Issue) edition of Country Life UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
All gone to pot
Jars, whether elegant in their glazed simplicity or exquisitely painted, starred in London's Asian Art sales, including an exceptionally rare pair that belonged to China's answer to Henry VIII
Food for thought
A SURE sign of winter in our household are evenings in front of the television.
Beyond the beach
Jewels of the natural world entrance the eyes of Steven King, as Jamaica's music moves his feet and heart together
Savour the moment
I HAVE a small table and some chairs a bleary-eyed stumble from the kitchen door that provide me with the perfect spot to enjoy an early, reviving coffee.
Size matters
Architectural Plants in West Sussex is no ordinary nursery. Stupendous specimens of some of the world's most dramatic plants are on display
Paint the town red
Catriona Gray meets the young stars lighting up the London art scene, from auctioneers to artists and curators to historians
The generation game
For a young, growing family, moving in with, or adjacent to, the grandparents could be just the thing
Last orders
As the country-house market winds down for Christmas, two historic properties—one of which was home to the singer Kate Bush-may catch the eye of London buyers looking to move to the country next year
Eyes wide shut
Sleep takes many shapes in art, whether sensual or drunken, deathly or full of nightmares, but it is rarely peaceful. Even slumbering babies can convey anxiety
Piste de résistance
Scotland's last ski-maker blends high-tech materials with Caledonian timber to create 'truly Scottish', one-off pieces of art that can cope with any type of terrain
