The Nativity of Christ 

Vladimir Borovikovsky’s oil on canvas, *The Nativity of Christ*, presents a scene both timeless and rooted in its making. Borovikovsky’s skilled application of paint is evident, using thin glazes and controlled brushwork. This layering technique allows light to permeate the image, contributing to its ethereal quality. The choice of oil paint itself, a medium favored for its ability to render detail and create luminous effects, speaks to the traditions of fine art. Oil paint could also easily be transported, bought and sold - in contrast with fresco or mosaic. But consider too what is not represented: the labor required to produce and transport the artist’s materials. Borovikovsky’s *Nativity* encourages us to reflect on the unseen hands that contributed to its creation. Thinking about materials, making, and context allows us to appreciate the Nativity story not just as a depiction of a sacred event, but also as an object embedded in histories of labor, skill, and artistic production.