
Georges de La Tour, Newborn Child, c. 1645-1648, oil on canvas, Musee des Beaux Arts de Rennes, France
Around the same time, Dutch Golden Age master Rembrandt (1606-1669) and French Baroque artist Georges de La Tour (1593-1652) each created individual interpretations of the new born Jesus and his mother Mary. The use of contrasting light and shadow was popular during this period as a way to both define the figures overall as well as to dramatize the action of the paintings.