There are numerous events which take place between the Annunciation and Christ’s birth. Elizabeth and John the Baptist, the angel announcing Christ’s birth to the shepherds, and the star and the wise men are the three main story lines. For now I am going to focus on His birth.

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
-Luke 2:1-7 NKJV

With the possible exception of scenes related to Christ’s crucifixion, the Nativity is the most painted New Testament story. These scenes tend to fall into one of three categories:

• The Holy Family
• The Shepherds adoring Christ
• The Wise Men presenting gifts

This post is centered on The Holy Family. But the fact is that it is not a literal part of the Biblical story. Nowhere in the Gospels do they mention, “Mary and Joseph looked in wonder upon the Child.” We assume, and I say rightly so, that this event would have happened. Imagine, nine months after the angel Gabriel announces that you (or your wife) is going to give birth to the Son of God, you do! Mary’s growing womb was likely enough proof for her and yet when the event actually took place the word wonder seems too small to describe it.

Tenderness and wonder are at the heart of what this story is about. The scene, minus the shepherds and wise men, was likely close to what happens all over the world every day. Of course there is only one Christ but beyond that mothers and fathers look on their newborns in much the same way that Mary and Joseph did, in awe.

Although not a nativity scene, one of the most touching family paintings is shown below, by John Dickson Batten, titled The Family. I am curious about the look on the mother’s face. Is her husband leaving soon, off to war perhaps? To me, Batten’s painting represents tenderness, wife to husband and vice versa.

I have done a few of these holy family scenes, most recently (almost a decade ago now) the one below. It is in a tondo format which means round or circular.

Below is an even older painting of mine, this time without Joseph.

Early on in the history of Christian art Mary was often portrayed in red (as I have done in my two paintings above). Red represents sacrifice and, at least in my paintings, is meant to represent the fact the her son was to be crucified. As you see above I tried to link the traditional Christmas color scheme, red and green, with these paintings.

Since the Renaissance Mary’s color has generally been blue. That blue, Lapis Lazuli, was used in those days because it was one of the most expensive colors. The expense was considered worthy however for the mother of God’s son. It wasn’t until the mid-1800′s that a less expensive artificial substitute was manufactured and this substitute is our modern-day ultramarine.