New! Nativity – Fra Angelico – 4.25" Framed Miniature

This image is from Fra Angelico's painting, "The Navitity," painted around 1425. The colors are beautiful and vibrant. Mary and Joseph are worshiping Jesus in reverent awe. The ox and ass look on*, as they are in almost every nativity painting ever done. The two animals aren't mentioned in the Gospel accounts of the nativity, but are symbolic: the ox stands for Israel, and the ass stands for the Gentiles, showing they are united under Christ. This symbolism is derived from something the prophet Isaiah said. (Isaiah 1:3)

Fra Angelico (born Guido di Pietro da Mugello) was a 15th-century Dominican friar and Renaissance painter whose artwork is considered not just beautiful, but exceptionally holy as well. Pope John Paul II declared Fra Angelico the patron saint of artists in 1984, after beatifying him in 1982. He said of the artist that "his paintings are his miracles," and that for Fra Angelico, "art becomes prayer."

The original painting is a tempera-on-poplar panel. It is owned by the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and on display. The original is kind of small, only 11 1/8 x 6 1/2 inches, plus the frame. This circle we've made constitutes most of the bottom half of it.

* Pah-rum-pum-pum-pum. :)

– Comes framed

– Frame size is 4.25x4.25". Image is 3x3"

– Hang on wall, or display on shelf or table

– This is framed in our new grape vines frame. We'll likely add others soon.

Thanks for your interest!

Thanks!

Sue & John

You might also enjoy original Catholic Art and Jewerly by me, Sue Kouma Johnson, here on Etsy at www.Etsy.com/shop/TreeOfHeaven

Also, check out our Catholic Quote shop, where we are pairing authentic quotes from Saints with Art: www.Etsy.com/shop/CatholicQuote

“In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art.” ~ St. Pope John Paul II