La Naissance du Christ est bri\u00e8vement relat\u00e9e dans l\u2019\u00c9vangile de Luc (2, 7). Afin de combler les lacunes laiss\u00e9es par le trop court r\u00e9cit de Luc, les Apocryphes, les auteurs et les artistes ont brod\u00e9 \u00e0 cette histoire une multitude de d\u00e9tails pittoresques.<\/p>\n
A partir du XIVe si\u00e8cle et plus encore au XVe si\u00e8cle, le th\u00e8me de l\u2019Adoration de l\u2019Enfant se substitue dans l\u2019art d\u2019Occident au th\u00e8me byzantin de l\u2019Accouchement. Au lieu d\u2019\u00eatre couch\u00e9e au-dessous du nouveau-n\u00e9 emmaillot\u00e9 reposant dans la cr\u00e8che, la Vierge se tient d\u00e9sormais agenouill\u00e9e, les mains jointes devant l\u2019Enfant nu. Ce changement f\u00fbt probablement acc\u00e9l\u00e9r\u00e9 par la popularit\u00e9 des R\u00e9v\u00e9lations de sainte Brigitte de Su\u00e8de \u00e0 qui la Vierge serait apparue pour reconstituer sous ses yeux la fa\u00e7on dont elle avait enfant\u00e9 J\u00e9sus (Revelationes, VII, chap. 21).<\/p>\n
Sous un \u00e9difice de bois au toit de chaume, la Vierge adore \u00e0 genoux l\u2019Enfant J\u00e9sus. Elle porte une somptueuse robe rouge sous un \u00e9pais manteau dor\u00e9. Ses cheveux blonds ondul\u00e9s sont \u00e0 demi-couverts. Le nouveau-n\u00e9 est couch\u00e9 sur un lit de paille. Joseph \u00e0 la barbe bifide, fait pendant \u00e0 la Vierge. Il est v\u00eatu d\u2019une tunique et d\u2019un manteau et porte une bourse \u00e0 la taille. Sa tenue nous rappelle le long voyage qui les mena lui et Marie jusqu\u2019\u00e0 Bethl\u00e9em.<\/p>\n
Deux femmes accompagnent la sc\u00e8ne. L\u2019une passe la t\u00eate par la fen\u00eatre de l\u2019\u00e9table pour observer la Sainte Famille tandis que l\u2019autre est agenouill\u00e9e, en pri\u00e8re devant l\u2019Enfant divin. Le riche v\u00eatement de cette femme pourrait nous indiquer qu\u2019il s\u2019agit d\u2019une donatrice. Toutefois, il pourrait \u00e9galement s\u2019agir de la repr\u00e9sentation des deux femmes qui assist\u00e8rent \u00e0 la naissance du Christ, Zelemi et Salom\u00e9. Salom\u00e9, l\u2019incr\u00e9dule, qui ne voulait pas croire \u00e0 la conception virginale du Christ est \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9cart de la Nativit\u00e9. L\u2019artiste a repr\u00e9sent\u00e9 ce doute par une expression qui traduit l\u2019inqui\u00e9tude sur son visage. Zelemi, la croyante, au contraire est r\u00e9compens\u00e9e par une place d\u2019honneur, au c\u0153ur m\u00eame de la sc\u00e8ne, pr\u00e8s de Marie.<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b>A gauche, l\u2019\u00e2ne et le b\u0153uf qui ont accompagn\u00e9 Marie et Joseph jusqu\u2019\u00e0 Bethl\u00e9em observent tranquillement la sc\u00e8ne.<\/p>\n
Au premier plan, deux anges tiennent un phylact\u00e8re sur lequel on peut encore deviner un extrait du Gloria : \u00ab [<\/span>Gloria<\/i>]<\/span> in<\/i> excelsis<\/i> [<\/span>Deo<\/i>]<\/span> \u00bb. L\u2019un des anges est v\u00eatu d\u2019une cape bleue et l\u2019autre d\u2019une cape rouge. Ces deux couleurs sont tr\u00e8s significatives puisque si le bleu symbolise au Moyen Age, l\u2019espoir, le rouge est un symbole de charit\u00e9, illustrant ainsi l\u2019esp\u00e9rance du salut de l\u2019humanit\u00e9 avec la venue de J\u00e9sus et son sacrifice.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/b>Au-dessus de la sc\u00e8ne principale, un petit berger fait pa\u00eetre son troupeau de moutons au milieu des arbres. Perch\u00e9e sur un promontoire rocheux, deux villes sont ceintes d\u2019imposants remparts.<\/p>\n Ce relief est l\u2019\u0153uvre d\u2019un artiste tr\u00e8s habile et imaginatif. Il f\u00eet preuve d\u2019un talent exceptionnel.\u00a0 Il soigne le r\u00e9alisme de l\u2019\u0153uvre gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 la multiplication des d\u00e9tails. La finesse de la sculpture est accentu\u00e9e par la polychromie tr\u00e8s bien conserv\u00e9e.<\/p>\n Ce moment cl\u00e9 du Nouveau Testament est transpos\u00e9 dans un contexte contemporain, gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 la tenue des personnages ainsi que la sc\u00e8ne de vie rurale. Ainsi, le caract\u00e8re universel de la sc\u00e8ne est intensifi\u00e9 tout en facilitant une meilleure compr\u00e9hension de ses contemporains.<\/p>\n Ce souci du d\u00e9tail, le r\u00e9alisme pittoresque de la sc\u00e8ne ainsi que l\u2019extraordinaire rendu des \u00e9toffes laissent supposer qu\u2019il f\u00fbt r\u00e9alis\u00e9 par un artiste flamand de la fin du XVe si\u00e8cle.<\/p>\n Ce relief peut \u00eatre rapproch\u00e9 du panneau de la Nativit\u00e9<\/i> du retable de Saint-Vaast, r\u00e9alis\u00e9 par Jacques Daret, entre 1433 et 1435, aujourd\u2019hui conserv\u00e9 au Mus\u00e9e Thyssen-Bornemisza de Madrid.<\/p>\n Bibliographie :<\/p>\n Louis R\u00e9au, Iconographie de l\u2019Art chr\u00e9tien<\/i>, II\/2, Presses Universitaires de France, Kraus Reprint, Millwood, 1988<\/p>\n While the birth of Christ is briefly told in the Gospel of Luke (2, 7) it is in the apocryphal texts that we find most of the elements and details that have then inspired artists. As of the 14th century and even more of the 15th century the subject of the Adoration of the Child replaces in Western art the scene of the Birth, much favoured in Byzantine art. Instead of being depicted lying with the new-born swathed in the manger, the Virgin is now kneeling, her hands joined in prayer in front of the naked child. This change was probably hastened by the popularity of the visions of Saint Bridget of Sweden to whom the Virgin allegedly appeared to show how she had given birth to Jesus (Visions, VII, chap. 21).<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Sheltered by a thatch-roofed structure the Virgin is kneeling in front of the Child Jesus. She wears a magnificent red dress under a large gold cloak. Her curled blond hair is partially veiled. The newborn is lying on a straw mat. Joseph is depicted with a parted beard and stands opposite from the Virgin. He wears a tunic and a coat with a purse hanging from the belt. His costume reminds us of the long journey him and Mary have accomplished to reach Bethlehem.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Two other women are present. One is looking through the stable\u2019s window to observe the Holy Family while another one kneels in prayer in front of the divine child. The rich costume of the lady might indicate she is a donator.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n However they could also both represent the women who took part in the birth of Christ, Zelemi and Salome. Salome, incredulous did not believe in the virginal conception of Mary and she is represented far from the scene. The artist has depicted her with an expression of doubt on her face. Zelemi, on the contrary, is a believer. She is rewarded by a place of honour at the heart of the scene, close to Mary.<\/span><\/b><\/em><\/p>\n To the left the donkey and ox that have accompanied Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem observe quietly the scene.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n On the foreground two angels hold a scroll reading an excerpt from the Gloria : \u201c\/Gloria\/ in excelsis \/Deo\/.\u201d\u00a0 One of the angels wears a blue cape while the other\u2019s is red\u00a0 Those two colours are very significant as during Middle-Ages blue symbolises hope and red charity. Together they express the hope in redemption thanks to the advent of Christ and his sacrifice to come<\/b>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Above the main scene, up a cliff, a small shepherd lets his herd of sheep graze amidst the trees. He is framed by two walled cities.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n This wood carving is the work of a very skilled and inventive artist. The piece bears witness to his exceptional talent. The realism of the scene is emphasised by the amount of details depicted. The refinement of the carving itself is highlighted by the well preserved polychromy.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n This key moment of the New Testament is set in a contemporary context thanks to the clothes of the characters and the scenes of rural life. The universal dimension of the scene is intensified while allowing contemporary viewers to grasp its meaning more easily.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n This care for details, the picturesque realism as well as the extraordinary rendition of the cloths suggest it was made by a Flemish artist during the late 15th century.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n This relief can be compared with the panel of the Nativity from the Saint-Vaast altarpiece made by Jacques Daret between 1433 and 1435, today in Madrid\u2019s Thyssen-Bronemisza Museum.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Literature<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n <\/b>Louis R\u00e9au, Iconographie de l\u2019Art chr\u00e9tien, II\/2, Presses Universitaires de France, Kraus Reprint, Millwood, 1988<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" EXCEPTIONNEL BOIS SCULPT\u00c9 POLYCHROME REPR\u00c9SENTANT LA NATIVIT\u00c9<\/strong> EXCEPTIONAL POLYCHROME WOOD CARVING DEPICTING THE NATIVITY<\/em><\/strong>
\n
ORIGINE : FLANDRES<\/strong>
P\u00c9RIODE : FIN XVe SI\u00c8CLE<\/strong>
Hauteur : 60 cm
Largeur : 45 cm
Profondeur : 8,5 cm
Bois de ch\u00eane polychrome et dor\u00e9
Restaurations d’usage<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
ORIGIN : FLANDERS<\/em><\/strong>
PERIOD : LATE 15th CENTURY<\/em><\/strong>
Height: 60 cm<\/em>
Length: 45 cm<\/em>
Depth: 8,5 cm<\/em>
Polychrome and gilt oakwood<\/em>
Restorations of maintenance<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":13921,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[224],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-13877","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-laroche","7":"description-off","9":"first","10":"instock","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"product-type-simple"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carrerivegauche.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/13877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carrerivegauche.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carrerivegauche.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carrerivegauche.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carrerivegauche.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carrerivegauche.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=13877"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carrerivegauche.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=13877"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carrerivegauche.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=13877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}