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In Ghirlidano's depiction of Jesus while he is lying in a bed of hay as depicted in the context of the source text (as if he was in a manger) he is neither wrapped in blankets nor sheltered under the confines of a small manger. I can assume the artistic choice to depict Jesus naked instead of wrapped in blankets was due to the Renaissance fascination with the perfection of the human body and emphasis on the human aspect of Jesus by showcasing his full human body at birth and not hiding it behind cloth-- even though that would follow the source text more accurately.

Artistic Choices:

12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (NIV Bible, Luke 2:12)

Depiction of Jesus

Source Text Excerpt:

Ghirlandaio depicts the concession of shephards to Bethlehem as depicted in the Bible but it is dramatized compared to how it is depicted in the text. In which I mean the sheer number of shepherds coming to see Jesus is much more than what is realistically imaginable based on the wording of the Bible. Ghirlandaio probably made this decision to dramaticize how important the birth of Jesus was by showing this whole crowd of shepherds coming from miles just to see him.

Artistic Interpretation

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (NIV Bible, Luke 2:15).

Journey to Bethlehem

Source Text

In all accounts of the nativity (between Matthew, Mark and Luke's depictions) all state that Jesus was born at night. However, Ghirlandaio depicts the scene happening at daytime. My assumption is that this part of the nativity is not during the exact moment of Jesus' birth but after the shepherds from afar have arrived. This indicates that they have traveled for an entire night just to witness the birth of the Messiah-- emphasizing the importance of this event.

Artistic Interpretation

"8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night...16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger." (NIV Luke 2:8,16)

Time of Day

Source Text

Unlike other aspects of the piece, Ghirlandaio's depiction of Mary remains practically unchanged from the Bble. We can see from the introspective look on her face alongside her posture that she is praying-- likely thanking God for Jesus' safe delivery. The reason Mary remains unaltered compared to the rest of the piece is most likely due to the reverence of Mary being the pinnacle of humanity-- the purest maiden. Altering her depiction in any manner would be a injustice to the Catholic faith which this painting is trying to idolize.

Artistic Representation

17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (NIV Bible, Luke 2:17-19)

Depiction of Mary

Source Text

Artist Interpretation

The depiction of Joseph is that of relief and the reasoning is a little more nuanced than the rest of the characters. What is often overlooked is how Joseph, being the just man he was, when confronted with what he assumed to be evidence of Mary's adultery (she's pregnant and they've never conceived) he tries to divorce her quietly knowing a public divorce would end in her execution. It isn't until the angel Gabriel explains that she had an immaculate conception that Joseph accepts Jesus as his son. This moment all of Joseph's stressors are relaxed and is beautifully depicted by Ghirlandaio. Remember, while the birth of Jesus was hard on Mary-- Joseph was also deeply involved.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. (NIV Bible Luke 2:4)

Depiction of Joseph

Source Text