Christmas 1893
1893
Swiss-born artist Eugène Grasset, a key figure in the early Art Nouveau movement, designed this festive cover for the French magazine *L'Illustration*. Rather than a standard winter scene, he depicts a cozy, medieval-style Nativity where angels with elaborate, patterned wings are busy cooking and serving food to Mary and the baby Jesus. The flat colors and bold outlines reveal his fascination with Japanese prints and Gothic art, creating a look that was totally fresh for 1893. It’s a delightful mix of the sacred and the domestic, reminding us that even angels have to help with the holiday dinner!
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