The First Christmas

Description: The story of the first Christmas long ago is captured here in all its mystery by some of the world’s greatest painters. The beauty of the familiar words of the King James Version of the Bible weaves the glorious images together to create a new work of art: a Christmas story that will be treasured by readers young and old.

Review: This book is a simple idea beautifully achieved. Times Educational Supplement The First Christmas makes a simple and good introduction to the National Gallery using the words of the Bible. Guardian It makes a perfect introduction both to the Nativity and to Renaissance art, with words from the King James Bible and reproductions of paintings belonging to the National Gallery. Independent In books — as in life — the best ideas are often the simplest ones, striking the reader with the force of inevitability. The First Christmas falls into this category, a picture book for the very young which brings together some of the great biblical paintings of the Renaissance from London’s National Gallery and carefully chosen texts from the authorised version of the Old and New Testaments. It is a marvellous way of introducing great art — and the Christmas story — to young children. — Michael Glover Financial Times