Alan: Notice that every adult face in this painting is more interesting than baby Jesus' face.
In fact, the holy child's face is unattractive, his mouth painted in such a way as to be deliberately off-putting.
Because half of humankind used to die before age 8, it has been said that adults couldn't afford to become emotionally attached to children and so there was no real relationship with kids before they outgrew the childhood diseases.
I have no idea if this observation is true.
It may even be a roundabout rationalization for the routine misrepresentation of children in art.
Go to Google Images and keyword search for "baby jesus in medieval and renaissance art,"
With few exceptions it's a gallery of the grotesque.
I have no idea if this observation is true.
It may even be a roundabout rationalization for the routine misrepresentation of children in art.
Go to Google Images and keyword search for "baby jesus in medieval and renaissance art,"
With few exceptions it's a gallery of the grotesque.
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