A Giovanni Agostino da Lodi Christmas

In sweet rejoicing,
now sing and be glad!
Our hearts' joy
lies in the manger;
And it shines like the sun
in the mother's lap.
 - excerpt from In dulce jubilo , a carol from the Medieval period, originating in a mixture of Latin and German.











To readers of The Blue Lantern and those who have shared your thoughts, my wish for peace and joy to all.


Image: Giovanni Agostino da Lodi - The Holy Family,   c.1495-1520, Louvre Museum, Paris.

Not much is known about the.painter Giovanni Agostino da Lodi.  He was active in the period roughly bounded by 1495 and 1520.   For this reason attributions of his work has been fluid, to say the least, for centuries.  Nevertheless, the quiet work represents the wonder oc creation in a manner that transcends the particulasr of religious beliefs.  The folds of the fabric of their clothing carry expressive weight , and the austere linear style were not particularly characteristic of Agostino da Lodi's work, but they do share the style of the 12th-century Lombard school of painting.