Nativity

The Nativity scene as it is depicted here by Cranach draws essentially on two sources. First and foremost is the biblical text in the Gospel of Luke, according to which Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem with his pregnant wife for a population census. There Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable, and this was announced to the shepherds by the Lord's angel. The shepherds went in search of the Son of God and found him in the crib where they paid homage to him before telling the world of his birth. The second source is a description by St Bridget of Sweden, a 14th century mystic, of a vision. Fundamental to numerous Nativity and Adoration scenes from the Late Middle Ages it refers to a divine light radiated from the naked infant Christ's body at his birth that was brighter than any candle.

In this small panel Cranach sets himself the appealing artistic task of visualizing radiant light in a night scene. He represents the infant Christ lying in stone trough surrounded by a throng of cherubs. The angels hold their hands in an attitude of prayer from which a dense circle of light radiates. Mary kneels to the left of the crib and like the angels she also prays. Her long, brown curls fall over her shoulders. She gazes at the child and shows both humility and motherly love. A crown-like halo frames her head. The Virgin is enveloped in a dark blue cloak which she wears over a red undergarment. Joseph stands behind the crib dressed in brown. He has lowered his head, which is framed by grey curls, but otherwise bald and holds a candle in his left hand. The light from the candle falls to the right where the ox and ass crouch directly beside the child. Together with the Virgin and Joseph they create a second circle, while the angels define the inner circle surrounding the child. Both circles open out towards the viewer and invite him to see and worship the child. The shepherds are shown in the mid-ground at the right edge of the painting separated from the Holy Family by a low stone wall and as such are assigned to another level in the hierarchy of worship. They appear to have just arrived at the stable. Still standing their gestures suggest that they are about to kneel in prayer. The gestures and expressions of the two in the foreground betray their awareness of the solemnity of this moment, whereas only the head of the third shepherd is visible. He has stretched it out inquisitively to catch a glimpse of God's son. A wooden post at the left edge of the painting, supporting the sloped roof that projects into the depth of the painting, suggests the architectural setting. At the left the stable is open and the scene of the annunciation is visible on a hill in the background. This scene precedes the central one; the shepherds can be clearly identified among the herd of sheep by their attire. The gloriole of angels illuminates the night sky. Two of the shepherds are already witnesses to the miraculous event, a third approaches. His red head attire identifies him as the curious shepherd - here already a latecomer.

[Görres, in Bonnet, Kopp-Schmitt, Görres 2010, 162]