Advent Calendar: Day 24

The Nativity Piero Della Francesca 1470-5 The National Gallery

This nativity scene has to be one of my favourites, the variety of expression in the faces of the angels, the human gesture of Joseph whose leg is slung over his knee and the simplicity of the small baby reaching up to his mother.

Happy Christmas

Advent Calendar: Day 23

Christmas Time - The Blodgett Family 1864 Johnson Eastman Metropolitan Museum of Art

Family Christmases comes in all shapes and sizes and I hope you enjoy yours whatever it looks like.

Advent Calendar: Day 22

Pine Trees covered in snow Maruyama Ōkyo c.1780 Pair of sixfold screens

Advent Calendar: Day 21

Isaac Levitan March 1985 State Tretiakov Gallery

One of my favourite things about doing this blog is discovering new artists that I had not come across before and Isaac Levitan is a great example of this.

His 'mood landscapes' infuse the Russian landscape with a deep sense of emotion, I find his paintings really act on me casting a spell of tranquility. Something that I felt we could all do with in the final couple of shopping days before Christmas so here a couple more.

Over Eternal Peace 1894

Birch Forest 1885-89

Advent Calendar: Day 20

Beryl Dean Jubilee Cope 1977

This exquisite cope owned by St Paul's Cathedral depicts 73 of the city of London's churches 3 royal peculiars (churches that sit outside of the jurisdiction of it's diocese and instead is under the rule of the monarchy) and of course St Paul's Cathedral itself.

Here is an image of the cope in all of its glory.

Advent Calendar: Day 18

Salvador Dali's front cover for Vogue.Dec 1946

Dali did several illustrations and covers for Vogue in the 30's and 40's. The Metropolitan Museum also hold this beautiful, albeit less festive, study for the April 1944 edition.

Advent Calendar: Day 17

Christmas Preparations at Beaulieu Charles Ernest Cundall Southampton City Art Gallery

This work is just bursting with life and activity and there are so many charming details. The chaotic cascade of white feathers falling in the middle of the painting contrasts so well with the focused calm of the two figures hunched over their tasks. I particularly like the small dog who is attentively watching the live chickens and geese inside the open crate to the right.

Only seven days left to go don't forget to check back for tomorrow's image.

Advent Calendar: Day 16

Albrecht Durer Reindeer

Advent Calendar: Day 15

Christmas Tree Lithograph Alexander Calder

If this vibrant piece has inspired you then head to Tate Modern for the Alexander Calder: Performing Sculpture show.

Advent Calendar: Day 14

The Rabbit's Christmas Party Beatrix Potter

You can practically smell the apples roasting on the fire and we can all relate to the rabbits lying full and sated and sleepy on the floor.

Advent Calendar: Day 13

The Skating Minister Henry Raeburn 1784

Advent Calendar: Day 12

Christmas Gambols 1804 Thomas Rowlandson Royal Collection

If you thought that your office Christmas party was wild it's nothing on these early 19th Century revelers.

Advent Calendar: Day 11

Christmas Fan Alice Loch 1881 Royal Collection

Advent Calendar: Day 10

The Louvre under Snow 1902 Pissarro National Gallery

London may be fairly mild today but if you feel like getting into the wintery spirit then you could pop in to the National Gallery to see this snowy work by Pissarro in room 44.

Advent Calender: Day 9

Andy Warhol Christmas Sewing Theme 1957 Tate

Advent Calendar: Day 8

A Christmas Morning Robert Gemmell Hutchison City of Edinburgh Council

This is a touching image of a young girl's excitement at snow. Fingers crossed, the weather this year has been so strange it could happen.

Advent Calendar: Day 7

One of Nick Waplington's Living room series.
A bit more about photographer Nick Waplington here.

Advent Calendar: Day 6

St Nicholas surrounded by 14 scenes from his life. Style of Strogonov (Frame 16th - 17th Century insert 19th Century).

To celebrate St Nicholas' Day which falls today we have this work from the British Museum. Around the image of the saint are arranged some of the scenes from his life. These include moments from his first miracle where he preached for an hour after his birth, (the second in from the top left) to the translation of the saint's relics to Bari in the bottom right.

For more details about the work and the scenes depicted click here.

Advent Calendar: Day 5

Christmas Margaret Thomas City of Edinburgh Council

Advent Calendar: Day 4

Child with a Christmas Card Alden Finney Brooks Metropolitan Museum of Art