Georges de La Tour: The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1645: Nativity Painting

Georges de La Tour painted during the Baroque period. His paintings were done in chiaroscuro. His body of work concentrated almost exclusively on religious subjects. In The Adoration of the Shepherds the candlelight effect is used to emphasize the presence of the baby Jesus drawing our attention to him and highlighting the concentration of the people adoring the Savior.

The Adoration of the Shepherds (1645) is in the public domain in the U.S.A.

Georges de La Tour: The Adoration of the Shepherds Christ with St. Joseph in the Carpenter's Shop
Book About de La Tour's Art
Shop Amazon - Holiday Gift Cards with a Free Gift Box and Free One-Day Shipping

Giotto di Bondone: Adoration of the Magi: Christmas Paintings

Giotto though painting during the Late Medieval Period is known as an early Italian Renaissance artist because he broke away from the Byzantine stylization and drew and painted from reality in three-dimensional accuracy.

 His Adoration of the Magi is dated ca. 1305. It is located in the Cappella Scrovegni a Padova also referred to as the Arena Chapel. The name for this particular subject comes from Latin in which the title is A Magis adoratur. It is a Nativity scene, but focuses on the three kings from the Orient and their gift giving and supplication. Thus, the Nativity by itself is a manger or a cave scene with the parents, baby Jesus and farm animals and adoration scenes are a variation on the theme.

This image is in the Public Domain in the U.S.A.

Adoration of the Magi-Giotto-ca. 1305

Shop Amazon - The Electronics Holiday Gift Guide - Gifts Under $50

Christmas: Nativity Video: Icons

I hope you enjoy this nativity video of traditional Christmas art.