The Birth of Christ

The second plate on the middle row of the left wing shows the Birth of Christ. Here the artist stays loyal to traditional motifs. In the foreground on the left, Mary is resting on a bed, while a seated Joseph supports himself on a staff on the right.

As in many medieval miniatures the manger is set aloft on pillars and suggests an altar. Behind, the ox and donkey are poking their heads into the scene. They are nearly never absent from this event, although they are not mentioned in the Gospels.

Above the manger, in a Heaven lined with fire, can be seen the half figure of the Angel of Annunciation with a scroll that reads, ‘GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO’ (‘Glory to God on high’). He is facing us and we take on the role of the shepherds. What is striking is that Mary and Joseph are not gazing upon the child as they are normally. They seem to be in a kind of meditation, as if they can already see their son’s destiny.