This is William's version of the Nativity in his "It's in the Book" project. Click to enlarge.
Luke 2:1-7
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
This scene has been depicted in countless works of art. Here are some examples through history.
This painting from 1400 was done by an unknown Austrian artist. It represents the Nativity according to an apocryphal story of the Gospel in which midwives are helping Mary to attend to the newborn infant. The bath they are giving the baby puts an emphasis on the human nature of Jesus and alludes to his baptism. Joseph is seated in the background looking either deep in thought or daunted by his new role as the father of this holy child. The ox and the ass at the manger cover the hay with a small kerchief to prepare it for the baby.
Bartolomeo painted this circular piece in 1499. Here, the holy family is in the midst of ruins and the chubby Jesus reclines on a sack and reaches up to bless his parents. Mary and Joseph kneel in worship of their baby, thus emphasizing the divinity of the Christ child.
This picture from 1484-90 is attributed to Geertgen and was, perhaps, part of an altarpiece. Mary is the central figure as she looks down upon her small, glowing child in the manger. Teeny angels gather around him in worship as the animals from the stable gaze in quiet adoration. Joseph lingers way back in the shadows showing his theological insignificance to the artist. This painting is most clearly about the divinity of Jesus.
This 15th century work by the Master of Avila Nativity features a bevy of miniature angels decking the roof of the stable. Mary has unusually long, stylish hair but what is most striking about this painting is that Jesus is not only glowing, but doing the levitation trick while Joseph and a random saint look on. Again, this is a work about the astonishing, supernatural, God-infused nature of the child.
This 15th century painting by Riches Heures shows a golden shaft of light connecting Jesus with God the Father seated above. A dove flies through the rays to symbolize the Holy Spirit. Together, they depict the divine mystery of the Trinity.
Barocci painted this piece 1597. Again, we see Joseph in the shadows and Mary taking center stage. The child radiates with such brilliance that it illuminates his mother and, indeed, the entire barn.
Raffaello work from 1507 shows Christ riding on a lamb while Mary supervises and the elderly Joseph presides over the family. This symbolizes how Jesus was no ordinary child—he born to be the Lamb of God.
Badalocchio’s painting from 1610 shows an intimate scene of the holy family lounging. The Virgin rests against a wall, cradling the infant Christ, while the old man Joseph keeps watch. It is subtle, but you can see the the child emits light, showing his Godly nature.
This beautiful painting by Rembrandt is from 1645. It shows the happy family life of Jesus and his parents. Mary gently rocks the baby to sleep while reading him a bed time story. Joseph does his carpentry work in the background. It would look like any other domestic scene except for the fact that baby angels bathed in light are aparently sky diving into the room. They invade this humble home to adore the child who is both human and divine.
Salvador Dali completed this Nativity in 1967. With extreme minimalism Dali shows us how Joseph stands upright as guardian of the family. Mary—in her traditional blue—kneels to adore the baby who holds a little cross to foreshadow his inevitable death. All three figures have hallows. Brilliant yellow steams down from heaven to show the glory of God which fills the scene.
With so many versions of the Nativity, it made shooting a unique, modern day version of it a great challenge. We decided to place the family in a simple hotel room and put the baby Jesus in a portable crib instead of a manger. Mary wears her traditional colors of red, blue and white and the lilies in the foreground symbolize her purity. Both parents peer excitedly into the crib just as any new parents would. This is to show that the child is truly human—vulnerable and small with the need for a mother and father to raise him.
Yet their child is no ordinary child—he is the eternal Word of God become flesh, the light which cannot be overcome. To show this visually, William filled the crib with such intense light that no child is actually visible. This demonstrates his divine nature. Even at his birth, Jesus is truly God.
The ultimate goal of this photograph is to reflect the mystery of the incarnation in a new way for our context.
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