Of births and celebrations...

7:08 p.m.

24/12/15 - Art, mirror of life, represents all the moments and stories of men. We see this, for example, in this artwork by Jan Havicksz Steen (Netherlands, 1626-1679). Steen was an artist that brought to his paintings elements of the popular celebrations held in his homeland. In "The Feast of St Nicholas" he depicts the arrival of the Saint. We see the good kids and the naughty. Those who've been nice, as the little girl on the front, receives gifts. Those you haven't, as the boy on the left, just get a handful of wood.

The Feast of St Nicholas, by Jan Havicksz Steen (1665-1668)

Rijksmuseum, Netherlands

Paul Gauguin, during his stay in French Polynesia, depicted the daily life and chores of the inhabitants. With the birth of a child he pretended to represent the Nativity. This very peculiar artwork remained away from public light for fifty years and now can be seen at the Beveler Foundation, the venue that diaplays the collection of Hildy and Ernest Beyeler, near Basilea, in Switzerland.

Nativité, by Paul Gauguin (1902)

Technique: oil on canvas

Beyeler Fondation

Art was also used to educate about religion. Tintoretto (Venice, 1518 – 1594), in his painting "Nativity", depicts the birth of Christ. All the details in the painting were taken from unofficial sources, since the birth of Jesus is only briefly described in the Bible.

The Virgin, on a bed of hay, watches the Baby, covered in a blue cloth. Saint Joseph carries a torch and looks towards the right, where there's two women. All the scene is held inside a shed, under a starry sky.