Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Sunday 25 December 2022

The Nativity


Piero della Francesca The Nativity, dated to 1470–75, 

National Gallery, London


For something about the picture see my recent blogpost The restoration of Piero della Francesca’s “Nativity” and also an article from The Spectator from 2018 at Birth of a masterpiece

An online piece by Ian Visits makes the following two points about the painting which are m, I think, worth sharing.

The two shepherds and St Joseph are relegated to the background whilst the Virgin and Childand the Angels are to the fore, and the clothes and appearance of the figures emphasises the point. This coincides I realise with the fact that in the 1470s devotion to St Joseph had not really developed let alone become an established part of Catholic piety. For that one must look a century later to one of the legacies of St Teresa of Avila. Thus Piero indicates the difference by rendering the mortals sunburnt and drab, whilst the Virgin and Angels have pale skin and bright clothing. 

Secondly in the foreground Piero has depicted a common Tuscan landscape with sandy soil thathas plants growing and the plain areas are paths to the stable and down the hill. Originally the dark plants were a lighter green but the paint has darkened with age which short of extensive overpainting cannot be undone.

A joyful celebration of the Nativity to you all.



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