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On the Virgin's prayerbook: virgo /
[c]oncipiet /
[e]t p[a]ri[et] /
fili[um et vocabitur nomen eius] em[m]anuel / butirum et /
mel come /
dit u[t] fiat /
[rep]roba[re]
(Propter hoc dabit Dominus ipse vobis signum. Ecce virgo concipiet, et pariet filium, et vocabitur nomen eius Emmanuel. Butyrum et mel comedet, ut sciat reprobare malum, et eligere bonum; from Isaiah 7:14-15)

The special mixture of reality, fantasy, and virtuosity that is particular to early Netherlandish painting is nowhere more apparent than in this exquisite panel. In an episode from the popular legend, Saint George in black Gothic armor pins the dragon to the ground with his lance; at the left kneels the fashionably attired Princess Cleodolinda who was to have been sacrificed to the dragon. George was a Roman soldier living in third-century Cappadocia, but the setting has here been transformed from ancient Asia Minor to the contemporary Belgian countryside.

Passing through a series of overlapping hills, we come upon a walled city surrounded by water and dominated by a castle perched atop a fantastic mountain. This scene is almost certainly imaginary and yet is rendered with the greatest clarity and realism. The attention to specific detail has led to the suggestion that the artist made use of a magnifying glass.

The artist's interest in the depiction of light -- reflecting on George's armor and the dragon's scales -- and atmospheric effects shows the influence of Jan van Eyck. The painting is also stylistically related to manuscript illumination that would suggest this is an early work. The panel may originally have been part of a larger ensemble, perhaps a diptych, and was most likely used for private devotion.

Christmas! What would be the most attractive part of Christmas? Decorative lights in different colors? Parties and delicious food? Santa Clause with goodies? Or the presents that you get from friends and relatives? Yes, the presents are the most important. Whatever we get is always accepted even as we advance in our age. The dying wants to live, the living wants to live more, and the rich wants to become richer. In other words man is never satisfied with what he has. Why? Man is dissatisfied with what God gave to humanity. Man wanted to be like God. God grants even that, but man is looking for something else, and is unhappy and disheartened with all that he gets in his daily life. The developments in science, mass media, telecommunications, information technology and medical technology are amazing, but still man is discontent with what he has. He is always looking to expect something else. Who could give him that ‘something else’? . God and only God can give him that something. What is that something? Nothing but His only Son, Jesus Christ who is the gift of the Father to the humanity. Christmas is the present of the Father which is the Presence of Christ for ever.
Fine Art America
saint mary art

"Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." ( John 3:3 ) . Religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Islam and other Western religions like Christianity, Judaism, and even Native American and the ancient Greek philosophy teach about rebirth or reincarnation. Rebirth - What does it mean? The literal meaning is "to be made flesh again". It is the belief that the soul, after death of the body, comes back to earth in another body. What did Jesus mean when he spoke about “ rebirth” ? When Jesus said “ to be born again ” , He did not mean the physical rebirth of oneself. He meant to be transformed or changed from the fallen state of man into a grace filled nature, in other words we have to become the Children of God from the state of the children of the world. To be born from above is to be born into Christ and his Church. We live in unity with the Trinity and show our belief in our day-to-day affairs. Our actions have to show that through our baptism we have received the grace to live of the spirit and not of the flesh. We see and act according to God ’ s wisdom and not merely according our own reasoning. The Holy Spirit therefore becomes our guide, inspiring in us the way we should follow Our Lord.
Fine Art America
jesus art