Pietro Cavallini, Three Episodes in the Infancy of Jesus
1291
Mosaic
Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome
Left to right in the band below the main mosaic of the apse:
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The Birth of Christ. The composition resembles traditional and Orthodox Nativities such as
this one in Sicily, but it anticipates 14th-century works in replacing the midwives with a fluting shepherd and omitting Mary's transposition of the child from cave to stable.
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The Adoration of the Magi. This image reflects Matthew's statement that the Magi visited the "house" where the baby lay (Matthew 2:11). The star that guided them is above the roof of the house. The pink structure from which they have traveled could be either Jerusalem or "the top of the mountain of victory" where the Golden Legend says the three were told of the birth of the Savior.
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The Presentation in the Temple. In a nice parallel, Simeon holds the baby on the right while Joseph holds the two doves on the left. Both hold these "offerings" on draped hands.
This image in full resolution
More of the Nativity
More of the Adoration of the Magi
More of the Presentation in the Temple
Photographed at the basilica by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.