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.
Rembrandt, Holy Family with Angels, 1645, oil on canvas, Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
