This course offers an interesting exploration of the Christmas story brought to life through works of art. The story, as first told in the New Testament gospels of Saints Matthew and Luke, has inspired artists to produce some of the most tender images ever created. These images have evolved over time as changes in society and shifts in religious attitudes occurred. Depictions of the Nativity moved from an intimate, sacred vision of mother and child to a scene with a cast of numerous people and animals. Equally as intriguing as the Nativity images are the pieces that depict the events that precede and that follow the birth of Christ.