The first Christmas – Historic Reproduction
(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)
Description
This antique engraving of The first Christmas brings a moment of history to your wall. The original is held by the Library of Congress, so what you hang is a true record of its time.
Choose the framed print, ready to hang the day it arrives, or the unframed print for a frame of your own. It makes a striking addition to a living room, study or office, and a thoughtful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past has been bringing history to the wall since 2001, for tens of thousands of customers worldwide.
The first Christmas
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The nativity has long been a favorite subject for printmakers, but this 1952 wood engraving is distinguished by its purpose as a Christmas card, a format that carried handmade art into ordinary homes. Wood engraving, which cuts fine lines into the end grain of hardwood, enjoyed a strong revival in the mid-twentieth century, and many artists turned to greeting cards to share small, carefully made images at the holidays. Look closely at how the engraver balances dense black areas against open white to shape light across the scene, a choice that suits the medium's sharp contrasts. The card reflects a postwar taste for craftsmanship within everyday seasonal traditions.
| Created / published | 1952 |
|---|---|
| Medium | 1 print : wood engraving. |
| Genre | Christmas cards 1950-1960.Wood engravings 1950-1960. |
| Subjects | Jesus Christ--Nativity. |
| Source | Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division |
| Original scan | 4,661 × 3,745 px · prints to 16 × 12 in at 300 dpi |
| Reference | AMZ-SOTP-HPA-221029 |
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