This year, after various discussions, we decided to make our own Christmas Cards.

As we decided to use a classical nativity nothing would do me but to search out something by Piero Della Francesca.

I have been a fan of Piero since I read about his paintings in John Mortimer’s Summer’s Lease many years ago.
Piero and his paintings are very much a part of the plot in this book.
I read it just before we too went to Tuscany on a holiday so I had great fun, while there, searching out his paintings in churches and gallerys.
The more I found the more I liked his art.
The one I picked for the card is however one that is in the National Gallery in London. It is called simply The Nativity.

We dickied about with it and reduced it to monochrome before I eventually persuaded it to fit into a card. (Thanks Caitriona for the technical help)

It was only while I was studying it closely to crop it that I noticed Piero’s little joke.

In the back there is a choir of angels, and some of them are singing away lustily.
But there, just behind one of their shoulders, Piero has painted a donkey.
But unlike most crib donkeys this one has decided that he wants to be part of the action and has added his voice to the song of the choir.
He is almost certainly drowning them all out.