A Painted Advent | With Smithsonian & Olympic Artist Ron DicianniExemplo

The First Coming

There is great symbolism in this painting. As you look at the work, please begin to see and digest into your own soul the touches that can easily be overlooked. In researching for this painting, the artist, Ron Dicianni, uncovered a great misconception. We often assume that Jesus was born inside an enclosure. Rather, he was born in the middle of a series of enclosures called stables, or mangers. In this meager beginning, Jesus was also the recipient of an encampment of angels (PS 91).

 Therefore the artist took license in imagining that the angelic representatives took the form of cherubim sprawled out over the Ark of the Covenant. The Baby himself emits a streak of light that extends beyond the past and future in order to imply Jesus’ eternal existence. Nearby is the Dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit, who not only attended Jesus’ birth, but would abide with Christ throughout his entire life and ministry. 

The artist imagined every star to have erupted in celebration at the Good News of Jesus. Look at the moon, as it was never brighter. Surrounding the manger was the Great Cloud of Witnesses (Abraham, Elisha, David, Moses, Esther, Joseph). Every one there came to honor King Jesus, and are themselves a “type” of Christ in the Old Testament; foreshadowing Christ’s ultimate work and purpose. Lastly, along Moses’ belt in Hebrew is written the words “I AM.” This portrayal of the Birth of Christ not only reveals the moment of his coming, but links him to all that went before him in the Old Testament.