Something Beautiful

Alte Pinakothek, Munich

The Alte Pinakothek, of Munich, Germany, has graced us not only with many works on its website, but with images of remarkable quality.  Two that I recommend especially are --

Adoration of the Magi, Columba Altarpiece, ca. 1455, by Rogier van der Weyden

Virgin and Child with Sts John the Evangelist, John the Baptist, Michael the Archangel and Dominic; ca. 1494, by Domenico Ghirlandaio. 

Click on each image, and prepare to be impressed! 

January - Snow

The page and illustration for January, in a Dutch Book of Hours, late fifteenth century  (close-up).

Snow

Just by plugging the word "snow" into the search page at the National Gallery of Art site, I found a drawing and these two prints --

Two Children in the Snow, 19th century, by George du Maurier (pen, black ink, graphite). 

Stoops in Snow, 1930, by Martin Lewis (drypoint). 

Snow, 1936, by M. C. Escher (lithograph).

St Luke Altarpiece

I don't know why, but I simply love works like the San Luca Altarpiece, 1453, by Andrea Mantegna. (See also image from museum site.)

Commissioned for a chapel dedicated to St Luke, in the Church of St Justina, Padua, it consists of 12 panels. 

In the top register are:  St Daniel of Padua and St Jerome on the left; the Virgin, Christ, and St John in the center; with St Augustine and St Sebastian on the right.

In the lower register, St Scolastica and St Prosdocimus appear on the left; then St Luke in the center; with St Benedict and St Justina on the right.

Annunciation to the Shepherds (more)

Although the Annunciation to the Shepherds rarely occupies an entire painting, this scene often appears in a miniature of an illuminated manuscript.   In the following examples, you will see that certain motifs recur again and again:  an angel in the heavens; a flock of sheep; a dog; shepherds with crooks or sticks to control their flocks; and often a shepherd holding a set of shepherd's (bag)pipes. 

Annunciation to the Shepherds, 1415-20, by the Workshop of the Boucicaut Master (additional info).

Annunciation to the Shepherds, 1450s, by an unknown artist.

Annunciation to the Shepherds, 1460s, by Willem Vrelant

Annunciation to the Shepherds, 1480-85, by the Master of the Dresden Prayerbook

Annunciation to the Shepherds, ca. 1480-85, by Jean Bourdichon

Annunciation to the Shepherds

I love the colors in this -- Annunciation to the Shepherds, 15th century, by the Master of the Houghton Miniatures.  (additional information)

Nativity, by Ghirlandaio

Feast your eyes on this Nativity, by Domenico Ghirlandaio. It's at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge University.

Simple Nativity

Another simple Nativity, full of charm; 1383, by Master Bertram.

Virgin adoring the Child

Another artistic motif shows Mary in solitary adoration of the new-born Christ Child.  Some of these are beautiful in their simplicity.   

Adoration of the Child Jesus, 1445, by Stefan Lochner

Adoration of the Child, ca. 1483, by Filippino Lippi

Virgin Adoring the Child, ca. 1483, by Sandro Botticelli

Bagpipes at the Nativity

The shepherds who were watching their flocks by night, and then who visited the Christ Child in the stable, are generally portrayed realistically as rough boys and men who hold shepherds' crooks and often carry a  lamb as a gift.  Lonely shepherds were often musicians, too, and I have a particular affection for Christmas scenes in which a shepherd carries, or even plays, a set of bagpipes. 

Here is a small assortment of such works --

Nativity, 1425, by Robert Campin (detail)

Nativity, ca. 1430, by an unknown Bohemian Master (detail)

Adoration of the Shepherds, 1535-40, by Agnolo Bronzino (detail)

Adoration of the Shepherds, 1544-45, by Jacopo Bassano