Nativity

by Delaynna Trim, Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art Curator

With Christmas around the corner, you might be seeing lots of nativity scenes. Some are very elaborate with many exotic animals, angels, magi, and shepherds, in addition to Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Others are very simple with just Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. St. Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first nativity or creche in Christmas 1223 in the village of Greccio, near Assisi. St. Francis got permission from Pope Honorius III to set up a manger with a live donkey and ox in a cave. Creche comes from the Latin word cripia which means manger.

Adoration of the Magi by Guilio Romano

One of the earliest depictions of the Adoration of the Magi is a late third century wall painting in the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome. The Virgin Mary is holding the Christ child and three magi are approaching with gifts. Another early example this time in sculpture is of a fourth century marble sarcophagus from the cemetery of St. Agnes of Rome featuring Mary holding the Christ child with the three magi approach with gifts and leading camels.

While Christ’s birth is celebrated on December 25, the arrival of the magi is celebrated on January 6. The magi are also referred to as wise men or kings. They bear gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. With three gifts listed in the Bible, many assumed that there were three men, but in some branches of the Eastern Orthodox tradition there are 12 magi.

Some interpret the three kings to be Melkon, the king of the Persians, Balthasar, the king of India, and Gaspar, the king of Arabia. The kings are often portrayed as the three stages of man—young, middle age, and old age.

Adoration of the Magi by Dirck Barendsz

In the Adoration of the Three Kings by Dirck Barendsz in the main gallery at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, you can see the three magi dressed in elegant clothing holding elaborate gifts. While you can see part of the wood manger behind Mary, the rest of the background is filled with soldiers on the far right, and people, animals, and buildings in the center. Notice the weird looking necks on the camels. The artist had probably never seen camels before, so he was painting based on what he had read about them.

In another Adoration of the Magi in the museum’s collection, this one by Giulio Romano, the manger looks like it is a part of some Roman ruins as there are classical columns behind Mary. There are also a lot of people in the background of this painting. The two people under the dais that she is sitting on are probably the donors who paid for the painting to be made.

Check out www.mgmoa.org/art-projects for more Christmas art activities.

Draw a Nativity

What type of manger will you draw? A simple wood one or a cave or fancy one with columns?

Who will you include? Magi? Shepherds?

What animals will you include?