From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
What is your favorite Christmas image?
Well, a rather personal and extremely difficult question.
Without a lot of reflection, what came quickly to mind is the 1597 painting in the Prado by Federico Barocci.
There’s stillness and there’s action. The composition is simple. Follow the lines. Look for the light source!
Favorite? This is one of them.
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
A Daily Prayer for Priests
Nota bene: I do not answer these numbers or this Skype address. You won't get me "live". I check for messages regularly.
WDTPRS
020 8133 4535
651-447-6265
on #ASonnetADay – Sonnet 151. “Love is too young to know what conscience is…”: “Sometimes it’s as well to be simply edified by the form and delve no deeper.”
on Daily Rome Shot 134: “It should be the Ponte Principe Amedeo Savoia Aosta and the church is San Giovanni dei Fiorentini.” on #ASonnetADay – Sonnet 150. “O! from what power hast thou this powerful might…”: “Thanks, Fr. Z. As usual, I don’t grasp the Bard’s problems. And I’ll pray for yours.”
on Before “Alleluia!”, comes “Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani?” – Wherein @FatherZ rants.: “Woody: Perhaps you could add a pertinent excerpt to accompany your mystery link. My guess is “oca” probably does not…”
on #ASonnetADay – Sonnet 150. “O! from what power hast thou this powerful might…”: “Thank you, Father! Prayers for you.”
on Before “Alleluia!”, comes “Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani?” – Wherein @FatherZ rants.: “https://www.oca.org/holy-synod/encyclicals/encyclical-hope” on Before “Alleluia!”, comes “Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani?” – Wherein @FatherZ rants.: “Interesting article, but Russell Shaw has an odd moment: “We do have the prophetic voice of Rod Dreher calling our…”
on Before “Alleluia!”, comes “Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani?” – Wherein @FatherZ rants.: “Is it “Alleluia is our NAME”? I thought it was “Alleluia is our SONG”… I can remember this being said…” on Before “Alleluia!”, comes “Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani?” – Wherein @FatherZ rants.: “Is it “Alleluia is our NAME”? I thought it was “Alleluia is our SONG”… I can remember this being said…”
on Daily Rome Shot 132: “Dear JustaSinner, while I was not asked (but this is not a spiritual question, and I do have some expertise…”
on Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 2nd Sunday after Easter (3rd of Easter – N.O.) 2021: “Novus ordo. State allows 50% occupancy, with distance between households. The nave (I’m not sure if that term still applies…”
PLEASE subscribe via PayPal if it is useful.
That way I have steady income I can plan on, and you wind up regularly on my list of benefactors for whom I pray and for whom I periodically say Holy Mass.
In view of the rapidly changing challenges I now face, I would like to add more $10/month subscribers. Will you please help?
For a one time donation...
My "challenge coin" for my 25th anniversary of ordination in 2016.
Want one? I do exchanges with military and LEOs, etc.
Loading ...If you travel internationally, this is a super useful gizmo for your mobile internet data. I use one. If you get one through my link, I get data rewards.
Loading ...
They find you a pro-life agent in your area who commits to giving a portion of the fee to a pro-life group!
Help Monks in Wyoming (coffee – UPDATED LINK) and Norcia (beer) and the wonderful "Soap Sisters" of Summit, NJ!
Please follow me on Twitter!
Visits tracked by Statcounter
since Sat., 25 Nov. 2006:
How very beautiful. A Merry Christmas to all!
I remember this. It was the New Zealand Christmas stamp for 1969. I was 12.
https://stampsnz.com/1969_christmas.html
The catalog in the link above credits the painting to Frederico Fiori, but according to Wikipedia that is the same person as F Barocci.
The adoration of the Magi. Da Vinci.
The adoration of the Magi. Da Vinci.
Yes, a beautiful rendering. I saved it as my phone’s wallpaper.
Adoration of the Magi – Gentile da Fabriano
George de la Tour has a stunning Nativity, and Murillo has a couple [and of course, he has a wonder “Flight into Egypt” housed in Detroit]. Both artists bring a certain sense of intimacy, warmth and a wholesome sense of poverty to the Mystery.
Nativity by Lorenzo Lotto – 1523. One of the few that I’ve ever seen that contains a reminder of what this is all about. Merry Christmas!
I think my personal favorite is the one by Gerritt van Honthorst showing the adoration of the shepherds. I like the rough tenderness of the shepherds, and I love how St. Joseph is so lost in smiling contemplation of the shining Christ Child that he is using the ox for an armrest.
I think every year I find yet another Nativity I really like. I love Caravaggio artwork. But most of the Nativity artwork I’ve snitched I don’t know the artist’s name. I guess one of my all time favorite Nativity is by Lorenzo Lotto, because I love the crucifix in the artwork.
The Vatican has the best–at least last year’s: https://thecatholictraveler.com/christmas-vatican-2017-nativity-scene/
I didn’t include a post with images of it, because it gave me, and adult, nightmares. Francis probably liked it.
Talking of NZ Christmas stamps, they provided some of my first memorable Christmas images, especially the now classic issues from 1960 to c. 1969 that appeared as I was a young and impressionable child.
https://stampsnz.com/christmas.html
There was the Adoration of the Magi by Dürer, 1961, the Madonna in prayer by Sassoferato, 1962, the Holy Family by Titian, 1963, the two Trinities by Murillo, 1965, and Adoration of the Child by Honthorst, 1968. I had all the issues from 1960 to the mid seventies in an album at one stage. Even in reduced stamp form they made a strong impression on my young mind.