Bravo! One painting more glorious than the other. The essence of this divine event is displayed in each work from some of the most remarkable artists of the past.
Artists depicted historical dramas and persons in their respective current styles of apparel. As often as not, it is because this is what is the more familiar to artist and their audience. Also the artists had to please their patrons and their audience, but, when we focus only on the central figures, Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, we see that they are never shown dressed in the style of the time. I, for one, love seeing these works for their value in giving us a view of the socio-cultural expressions of the past. It’s history coming alive.
As they shouldn't be. Ran across a painting recently showing a biblical figure wearing one of those ridiculous wavy curlicue white collars from 1600s Netherlands. I hope I had enough sense to discard it.