The place of Jesus’s birth, from a Mirror of Holiness (Mir’at al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602-04. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569–1627). Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; page: x cm (10 3/8 x 6 1/8 in.). Instead of a stable, the artist has interpreted the place of Jesus’s birth as an abandoned ruin. Mary is cleaning it with a peacock-feather whisk, while Joseph negotiates with a man dressed in full Mughal attire at the doorway. The camel is laden with belongings and an Indian-style bed.

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Size: 2030px × 3400px
Photo credit: © CMA/BOT / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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