The
Nativity
13th century
Mosaic
Apse
of Santa
Maria Maggiore, Rome
There
are no midwives and the manger scene is in a built structure rather
than a cave, but in other respects the composition looks to older and
Byzantine models: The Virgin Mary herself is in a sort of cave, compositionally separate from
the child; Joseph rests his head on his left hand; and the stable is
re-imagined as a classical temple or early church. Behind the
structure, an angel announces the birth to two shepherds.
Return to the main image of the apse
mosaic
More
of the Nativity
Photographed at the
site by Richard Stracke