Christmas Ilya Repin (1844-1930)

Description of Ilya Repin’s painting "The Nativity of Christ".

Ilya Repin, master of portraiture, decided to depict one of the most popular subjects from the New Testament. In this work we see the first minutes after the birth of Jesus. In the manger, where, according to the Bible, the birth took place, are Mary, Jesus and Joseph.

In the painting "The Birth of Christ" we see an absolutely peaceful setting. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is sitting next to the newborn future Savior. Repin did not want to bring events from past centuries into the modern world, which Renaissance artists often did. Therefore, in this work, we see that Mary does not have a European appearance, she is dressed in the typical clothing for those places and those times. She is wearing a long red dress, with a white shawl around her head and neck. Many argue that the red robe, in which Our Lady is often portrayed, is a symbol of the blood that would later be shed by her son. But now it is still a long way away from these events, so the mother is absolutely calm. She looks at her child with serenity. She places her hands on Jesus’ blanket. The child is depicted in a cradle. On top, he is covered by a snow-white warm blanket. Only the baby’s head is visible to us. He is not sleeping, but he is not screaming either. The child is serene and calm, just like his mother.

Joseph is standing next to Mary and Jesus. His figure is depicted in very dark colors, which gives the impression that he is not the most important person on this canvas. The small candle next to Jesus’ crib only slightly illuminates Joseph’s face. Next to the crib is a copper basin, on which lies a white piece of cloth. Thus, the artist depicted the future baptism that awaits the infant.

In the history of fine art, there are few works on religious subjects that do not depict tragedy. It is believed that only a great tragic subject can reach people. Repin went the other way. He was able to convey with this work the feelings of a young mother who had just given birth.