In Artistic 'Christmas Miracle,' Hidden Nativity Scene Appears Beneath Medieval Painting

By Mindy Weisberger - Senior Writer 4 hours ago

It's hidden beneath a painting that depicts the beheading of St. John the Baptist.

X-rays of a medieval painting revealed a Nativity scene that was painted over centuries ago.


(Image: © Northumbria University and The Bowes Museum)

Just in time for Christmas, a long-hidden Nativity scene has surfaced after laying concealed for centuries under another painting.

On its surface, the artwork shows the beheading of St. John the Baptist, and it is thought to be around 400 years old, representatives of Northumbria University in Newcastle, U.K., said in a statement.

However during the work's restoration, X-rays of the painting hinted that a very different story lurked in the layers of paint underneath the surface. In the X-rays, restorers spotted shapes that resembled those typically found in Nativity scenes, such as a baby with a halo around its head, kneeling angels and a manger's walls rising in the background, according to the statement.-- excerpt, rest at link above --

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