As the handful of loyal readers of this blog will know, I am a sucker for medieval illuminated manuscripts. The illustration below is from a mid-14th century set of gospels made for the Bulgarian tsar Ivan.
Note that the treatment of the figures in many ways imitates Byzantine ideas of the Nativity. You will see on the bottom left a disconsolate and bewildered Joseph sitting apart, to indicate that he is not the true father of Jesus. In the centre bottom is the midwife bathing the baby. Mary is depicted reclining while ox and ass look on; and the Magi are seen coming on the left and departing on the right. Note that the Wise Men represent the three ages of man: a beardless youth, a mature man with a black beard, and an elderly greybeard. An angel addresses two shepherds, one of whom seems to be holding a microphone.
