This image of an early fifth century marble relief depicts the infant Jesus with an ox and a donkey. Image provided.

By Darla McCammon
and DeeAnna Muraski
Guest Columnists

WARSAW — Our biggest All Star of Christmas would not consider themselves a star; however, their first appearance is under the direction of a star — the great North Star. This All Star also made their appearance under the most humble of situations, in a lowly, small, ineptly engineered manger surrounded by animals considered the simplest-minded and dirtiest: sheep. And those in attendance at this first dramatic staging were not the nobles, the wealthiest and most entitled, but instead, shepherds, deemed the lowest positions possible and generally held by youngest children, as oldest children received the prime professions. As you might have guessed, our biggest All Star is Jesus and the manger scene.

But who was the first to attempt to put onto canvas the images detailed to us in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke from the New Testament? The manger scene minimally contains baby Jesus in a creche (krehsh), Mary and Joseph. Additionally, they may add the shepherds, wise men and farm animals. The entrance of the wise men is referred to as the Epiphany.

Interestingly, even though the internet and World Wide Web were not even a consideration, newspapers had not been created and travel between countries was not easily navigated, different areas of the world were creating similar renderings of their interpretation of Scripture — Scripture that was not recorded allegedly and purportedly until sometime around A.D. 70. Due to a lack of materials, the first depictions were not elaborate, detailed large paintings but instead, mosaics, carvings, stained glass and marble reliefs.

Each area of the world seemed to focus on different areas of the Nativity based on the times and religious pressure. At times, elaborate magical Magi were created, life-size with majestic royal clothing and magnificent containers, to proffer their gifts. Other times put Mary, mother of God, as the central focus with no sightings of Joseph or shepherds, and even baby Jesus playing second fiddle.

St. Francis of Assisi is famously credited as creating the first live representative of the Nativity in 1223. Other artists of note who have attempted the Nativity scene on canvas are: Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, Botticelli, Rembrandt, Tintoretto and El Greco. Quite ironically, the first artistic renderings of the birth of Christ and Magi were found on Roman sarcophagi of the dead. The Book of Kells depicts Madonna and Child from the Gospel of Matthew circa 800, one of the earliest known paintings. The Nativity continued to be depicted during the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, rococo and modern periods. Like the Bible, the Nativity has proved to be enormously popular, being drawn in every artistic period and by every nation in the world.

While the birth of Christ and the Nativity are international All Stars, their enduring treasure is the message of joy and love which they depict and emulate.