80 CHRISTMAS THROUGH THE EYES OF PAINTERS The divine fatherhood is strongly emphasized by the sheaf of luminous rays that emanates from the Father’s lips, suggesting his creative breath. (Master Francke, The Nativity, Hamburg Altarpiece, detail) split open to welcome the Child; the dark cave suggesting the night of sin—and, in the distance, the annunciation to the shepherds. Yet they make all the more surprising this vision of Mary kneeling, her hands folded, with the features of an adorable young woman; her long golden hair is let down, without the slightest trace of a veil. The Childwhomshe adores is stark naked, still curled up in a nearly fetal position; he seems to be landing on the ground. A sheaf of luminous rays departs from the lips of the Father, at the very top of the panel, and ends at the Child, forming the central axis of the composition: Earth and heaven are thus joined, and the radiance of the Newborn proceeds directly from the divine light: The Infant “descends from heaven”; he is the Father’s gift to the world. The accent here is placed very strongly on the divine fatherhood; this ismade evenmore evident by the pure and simple deletion of the figure
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