The Twelve Days of Art-mas

“Fiiiiiive goooooold ringsssss…”

The twelve days of Christmas through art.

It’s that time of year again – the halls are decked with boughs of holly and we’re all writing letters to Mariah Carey (and, sure, Santa). With Christmas just around the corner, what better time to pay homage to a Christmas classic through the medium of Art History?

Begin the countdown to Christmas with some pivotal pieces from the History of Art, all of which have some connection to a verse in the well loved song. Welcome to the new, unofficial art-historical visual companion to the Twelve Days of Christmas! 

Twelve Drummers Drumming

William Morris Hunt, The Drummer Boy, c.1862, oil on canvas

William Morris Hunt (March 31, 1824 – September 8, 1879) was an American artist. He trained in Paris with famed painters such as Jean-Francois Millet. The above painting was created during the American Civil War. Amidst all the unrest, patriotic, romanticised images of the battlefield were highly popular. This painting depicts a young drummer boy who would have played on the battlefield to rally the troops.

Eleven Pipers Piping 

James Elder Christie, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, 1881, oil on canvas

One could not talk about pipers and forget the most famous children’s tale of a piper! The above work is painted by the Scottish artist James Elder Christie, which is fitting – Scotland is known for its (bag)pipers. The story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin follows a musician who drives all of the plague-riddled rats from a town. When the townspeople refuse to thank him for his efforts, he plays his pipe and hypnotically leads all of the children out of the town, never to be seen again. 

Ten Lords a Leaping

Jacques-Louis David, Napoleon Crossing the Alps, 1801, oil on canvas

This painting by French Artist Jacques Louis David shows the Emperor Napoleon atop a horse. While it is technically the horse that leaps, this painting is a fine example of equestrian portraiture, which was meant to show the sitter as strong, virile and powerful.

Nine Ladies Dancing

Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Peasant Wedding Dance, 1623, oil on canvas

Scenes of everyday people enjoying themselves in the past are not very common. The concept of “genre scenes” – scenes painted for paintings sake, showing not only paying patrons but also the regular community – became very popular in the Netherlands during the 16th and 17th centuries. Works like this one are full of joy and fun – the people are almost like caricatures, but oozing with personality as they drink, dance and make merry.

Eight Maids a-Milking

Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, c.1657, oil on canvas

Not a cow in sight – but Johannes Vermeer’s painting from the mid 1600s is one of the most famous depictions of milkmaids in history. He also favoured the same genre scenes as Brueghel, but his works were often more serene, set in interior spaces, where the viewer seems to be watching the scene in front of them, unnoticed.

Seven Swans a-Swimming

Hilma af Klimt, The Swan No.1, 1915, oil on canvas

Hilma af Klimt, renowned artist and esotericist, painted 24 images of swans in the early 1900s. She was heavily involved in the Spiritualist movement, and interested in ideas surrounding Theosophy. To her, swans symbolised the ‘grandeur of the spirit’ and in alchemy, the swan stands for a union of opposing elements. According to legend, the swan was needed to create the Philosopher’s stone, a fictional object that could be used to turn metal into gold.

Six Geese a-Laying

Meidum Geese, 2610-2590 BCE, Chapel of Itet, Meidum, Egypt

This 4,600-year-old painting is often referred to as “Egypt’s Mona Lisa”. The exciting thing about this work is that scientists have recently realised that this work shows an ancient and now extinct species of goose. They were found in found in 1871 in a tomb located near the Meidum Pyramid, which was built by the pharaoh Snefru. The images from this pyramid are extraordinarily detailed and lifelike and have allowed scientists and archaeologists an invaluable insight into the animal life of the past.

Five Gold Rings

Hans Eworth, Mary Neville, Lady Dacre; Gregory Fiennes, 10th Baron Dacre, 1559, oil on panel

(Detail)

This work is a beautiful example of fine-detail painting. Portraiture became increasingly popular in the 17th century and wealthy patrons sought to immortalise themselves through paint. These portraits were full of symbolism – every detail was chosen for a reason. Often the sitters would be adorned in lavish costumes and jewellery as a show of their immense fortune and influence over their subjects. Often, too, jewellery had significant meaning – with identifiable pieces from family collections alluding to alliances, betrothals and beliefs.

Four Calling Birds

Joseph Wright of Derby, An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, c.1760s, oil on canvas

This work by Joseph Wright of Derby shows a group of people crowding around a bell jar in which there is a bird, calling out. An experiment on air and vacuums is being observed. Some of the children turn away in horror, but the adults are all enthralled. While this may seem to be a slightly gruesome scene, this was how many influential discoveries were made that impact our life today. In the age of the Enlightenment, huge strides forward were being made in scientific enquiry, allowing people to understand the world around them.

Three French Hens

Glazed Chicken Water Pot, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Porcelain

This water pot from China shaped like a chicken dates back to the Ming Dynasty. The chicken family has always been a focal part of Chinese art, as the Rooster makes up one of the main symbols of the Chinese zodiac calendar (the most recent Year of the Rooster was 2017). As such it is common to see depictions of animals in paintings and objects throughout history. This whimsical piece is wonderfully charming and fun.

Two Turtle Doves

Pablo Picasso, The Dove (La Colombe), 1949, lithograph

Picasso may be best known for his later abstract works and disjointed faces, but he also created a large number of representational works over his long career. This lithograph, created in 1949, shows a dove. Traditionally a symbol of peace, the dove appealed to Picasso, who was opposed to the rising fascism in Spain at the time. After painting his later work Guernica, Picasso became known as a symbol of antifascism and specifically of the struggle against fascism of artists and intellectuals. 

…and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Vincent Van Gogh, Still Life with Pears, c.1888, oil on canvas

Devoid of partridges, this painting of pears by Van Gogh is created in his signature style. Large brushworks and warm vibrant colours combine to create a work that while not looking exactly like a real life pear, perfectly conveys the essence of a pear. Van Gogh’s passionate depictions create art that celebrate all that is normal and beautiful in everyday life – the pear, to this artist, infinitely as exciting and worthy as any portrait. Van Gogh was known for his torment, but also for his love of nature and the world around him, which can be seen in all of his works.

Happy holidays, may they be filled with laughter, good friends, great food, and even greater art!