Geboorte van Christus 1840 - 1905

François de Meersman created this pencil drawing of the birth of Christ sometime in the 19th century. Religious imagery had long been the provenance of wealthy patrons and institutions like the Church, reinforcing their social position. In the 1800s, though, art academies in Europe opened their doors to a wider public. Artists like de Meersman sought to democratize art by making inexpensive drawings and prints available to the rising middle class. Rendered in a simple, straightforward style, the image lacks the visual opulence associated with earlier depictions of the Nativity. If you'd like to learn more about the social history of art institutions and the changing role of religion in the 19th century, check out the museum library, and consider how social and institutional contexts shape the production and reception of art.