Two women leaving soft footprints through city streets, country roads, and green mountain paths. Two friends with backgrounds in Fine Art Restoration and Art History who share an appreciation for simple pleasures and a passion for introducing others to Florence and beyond.

Angelica Turi - Tuscan, Licensed Environmental Guide. Elizabeth Namack - American, Licensed Tour Guide for Florence and Province

Come share the journey with us! Reflections and Wanderings through Tuscany and Italy!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Nativity Scene - Compare These Paintings



I hope you are enjoying a very happy, serene, and joyful Holiday Season. Here we are getting ready for the Epiphany on January 6th. Religiously this was the day when the three Magi, following a star, made their way to Bethlehem to pay respects to Jesus, the new born king of the Jews. The Kings Jasper, Balthazar and Melchior were astrologers from the Persian court and brought gifts of gold, frankincese and myrrh. Simbolically gold was a homage to Chirst as King, frankincesce a homage to his divinity and myrrh (which was used for embalming) was a foreshadowing of his eventual death.    

Below are three paintings relating to this scene which date back to the Renaissance period, during the 15th century.


Compare them. One can not belong to the Florentine School.
Can you figure out which one? ... Why?



Painting N.1

Painting N. 2

Painting N. 3

The School of Renaissance Florentine painting is based on design. Buildings are often used as architectural pretexts. They are included to show how clever the artists were in understanding the great discovery of the century: Perspective. Architecture and human figures in Florentine art are the dominant players.

 This is not so, however, for the Venetian school. In Venetian painting nature and color become the main subject and the figures in them almost vanish.

Can you guess which painting is by Botticelli, which one is by Ghirlandaio & which one is the painting by Giorgione?! Answers next week!


- Posted by Angelica.
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3 comments:

  1. Why do they leave the Sweet Baby Jesus laying on the ground?

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    2. God's love for humankind is so immense that he decided to embrace all of humanity by giving us his son and having him be born in the poorest of homes. Jesus was born in a cave and shepherds went there to worship him, as well as the three kings (the first pilgrims in history). Jesus was not born in a house of the rich and powerful. God's love is pure and humble as the cave and the bare earth. Painters have given different interpretations of this scene over the centuries ... Perhaps we are more used to seeing him in the arms of Mary rather than laying on the ground above a simple cloth.

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