There are many artistic representations of Jesus' birth. They are based on the "Infancy gospels". Read carefulley and complete the following sentence: "Jesus' infancy gospel writers didn't want to produce a biography of Jesus. They wanted to explain who he was, his mission, how early Christians saw him and that Jesus is the expected ________ ".

 

Here you can see the alterpiece of Salamanca's old cathedral, a wonder of the 15th century, by Dello Delli, a painter of Florence (Italy). He captured in fifty-three images what it's most important in the Good News. Many of these images aren't based on proved historical facts but in religious beliefs. If you want to see something in detail click on any of themHERE

According to the Gospel of Luke 2,4-7, where was Jesus born?

 

That subject is represented by Federico Fiori BAROCCI in this painting, entitled "The Nativity", dating from 1597, that you can see in The Prado Museum in Madrid.

When we watch works of art based on the birth of Jesus, we know that they are inspired in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Read carefully the following sentence and tick on the right answer: "Jesus' infancy gospel writers wanted to produce a biography of Jesus, an account that explained everything that happened to him..."

 

This is a painting entitled "The Nativity", by Lorenzo LOTTO (1523).

The gospel scene where Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth is called: ______________________

The Flight into Egypt has been a popular subject showing Mary with the baby on a donkey, led by Joseph. This biblical event is described in the Gospel of Matthew 2:13-15. In art there is also a non-Biblical subject showing the Holy Family resting on the journey, the Rest on the Flight to Egypt, often accompanied by angels.

Pay attention to this work of art by Harmenszoon van Rijn REMBRANDT and click on the correct title.

Bartolome Esteban MURILLO (1617-1682), painting dated from 1665.

In his gospel Luke tells us that the shepherds were the first ones to go and adore Jesus. What message did he want to transmit us?
GIORGIONE,The Adoration of the shepherds, painted around 1500, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC,USA

This painting by Batolome MURILLO was painted in 1655. You can see it in The Prado Museum. Choose its title.

 

I give you a clue. Read the text of the Gospel of Luke 2,15-20:

"Now it happened that when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us.' So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told."

This painting is entitled "St. Joseph's Dream". What does it represent?

Read here the text of Matthew's Gospel 1,18-21:

"This is how Jesus Christcame to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being an upright man and wanting to spare her disgrace, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins."

 

What is the title of this painting by RAPHAEL?.

Title of the painting which represents the episode described in the Gospel of Matthew 2:13-15

"After they had left, suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
'Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.'
So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I called my son out of Egypt."

What does this painting by Roger van der WEYDEN, daiting from 1445, represent?

This is a text from the Gospel of Matthew 2,1-12. There are some missing words in it, could you indicate which ones?

 

" After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some _______ _______ came to Jerusalem from the east asking, 'Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.' When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, 'At Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.' Then Herod summoned the _______ _______ to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words, 'Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.' Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were given a warning in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way."

 

In order to help you there is here a painting by Fra Angelico, dated from 1423, and housed in the Abegg Foundation, Bern (Switzerland)

Annunciation is:

 

The text is from the gospel of Luke 1,26-38:

"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favour!, the Lord is with you!" But she was deeply disturbed by these words, and asked herself what this greeting could mean. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have won God's favour. Look!, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your cousin Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "You see before you the Lord's servant; let it happen to me as you have said" And the angel left her."

Read the following text of Luke 2:21: "When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception." Afterwards mark the title of this painting by RUBENS.

The painting dates from 1605; its dimensions are 1,05 x 0,74 m, This painting is in the Museum of Fine Arts in Vienne, Austria.

In the gospel of Luke (1,39-45) after the angel's annunciation to the virgin Mary, she sets out and goes to her cousin Elizabeth's house, whose pregnancy was also announced by the angel. Mary wants to help her and be there for the birth of John the Baptist.

 

From the following paintings by Dieric BOUTS the Elder, which one is narrated in the gospel of Luke 1,39-45?