Christmas art's context: 12-24/25-11

 

Earlier this month I wrote here about the various ways Jesus and his mother have been pictured in art, especially in Madonna and Child renditions that get plenty of attention around Christmas.

It turns out others, too, have been thinking about the various styles of Christmas art over the centuries and how the context of the times in which the art is produced influences it.

The other day, in fact, Baylor University put out this press release in which a Baylor teacher talked about how "Art history offers glimpses to the socio-cultural world of the time when the work of art is created. Such paintings are also influenced by the theological outlook of that time. Context is important."

The quote is from Swee Hong Lim, an assistant professor of church music. He has researched Christian iconography and he co-moderates the Worship Committee of the 10th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches.

One of the Nativity scenes mentioned in the Baylor release is shown above here today with the permission of the artist, Roger Loveless. It's called "In the Hands of the Father," and the more I look at it the more I like it.

But I also want to share with you today two other works of Christmas art. The one at left is from a textile made for a Mennonite relief sale I attended a few years ago in Bloomington, Ill.

The one below shows the Nativity scene that has been in my family since about the time I was born. My mother bought it at our local F.W. Woolworth store and then repainted some of the pieces for reasons I never understood.

Merry Christmas

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A BIRTHER'S POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION?

A Southern Baptist pastor has lost his court bid to force Barack Obama to prove he's a natural born citizen. Wonder who, at the time of Jesus' birth, made up that era's birther movement? Surely someone.

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P.S.: If you're in the Kansas City area and want to hear a former Christian pastor talk about his atheism, click here.