Back to: Renaissance Art and the Christmas Story
The main stage was the Manger. Art centered around the manger scene which could group together the main actors and actresses, including Jesus, Joseph and Mary. It was its own stage
Other characters from the nativity story, such as shepherds, sheep, and angels may be displayed near the manger in a barn (or cave) intended to accommodate farm animals, as described in the Gospel of Luke. A donkey and an ox are typically depicted in the scene, and the Magi and their camels, described in the Gospel of Matthew, are also included. Many also include a representation of the Star of Bethlehem. Several cultures add other characters and objects that may or may not be Biblical.
Jesus finally became the central figure of his own birthday story as time went by. No longer an aloof, statuesque Christ child being adored by a Queen Mother, but rather a living, breathing baby Jesus, surrounded by adoring parents. Quite often, a spotlight shining down from Heaven is the only clue as to the divinity of this bouncing baby boy.
The concept of humanism developed during the Renaissance. It went from the medieval and divine nature of the subject to one that emphasized the humanity of the subjects, human needs, and values
As humanism blossomed, the distinction between the profane and sacred blurred to a point where objects of everyday life were elevated to a spiritual level. Renaissance artists created complex and busy paintings, integrating a host of peripheral figures, such as the three Magi, shepherds, angels, and animals. Their surroundings became increasingly domestic.
The wonders of this world turned up in the nativity as a rich visual symbolism. The ox and donkey are traditionally found in the Renaissance stable. Drawing on the words of the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, (“The ox knows his master; the ass his master’s crib.”) even the lowliest of animals recognize the son of God. Dogs are interpreted as fidelity and doves as peace
Artists wreathed their scenes in botanicals and natural vegetation, which also held symbolic attributes, understood by all. Naturally, given the outdoor setting of the nativity, a number of flowers, plants, and fruits could easily be integrated into the paintings. Violets symbolize humility, the Virgin’s most desirable virtue to be emulated. Columbine, with leaves shaped like a dove stands for the Holy Spirit and fidelity. Sheaths of wheat carry several sacred meanings such as fertility, growth, and renewal. Also, it represents the Roman Catholic Eucharist, in which Christ becomes the body (or the bread) and alludes to the town of Jesus’ birth- Bethlehem, which translates to “house of bread.”
Most commonly used is the lily, also referred to as a ‘sword lily,’ which has two meanings. One represents the purity of the Virgin (hence the saying, “pure as a lily”) and another symbolizes the sword that would pierce her heart upon Jesus’ death. Almost every Renaissance image of the Virgin and Child or nativity contains some allusion to crucifixion or resurrection. Baby Jesus is often shown holding a pomegranate, the red juice representing his blood and suffering, while the multiple seeds signify the church held together by one God. Ivy suggests eternal life, but the most common representation of immortality is the peacock, whose body, according to legend did not decay after death.
Throughout the Renaissance, painters did not look to antiquity to cloth their figures but rather dressed them in the latest fashion of their own time period. Likewise, the characters were placed in contemporary architecture and interiors. Therefore, it is possible to trace the evolution of fashion, interior décor, tapestries, and landscapes by studying nativity and annunciation scenes between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries.