The first known depiction in Western Art of a person who may have Down Syndrome. "The Adoration of the Christ Child," by a follower of Jan Joest of Kalkar (Netherlandish, active ca. 1515), oil on wood, 41 x 28 1/4 in. (104.1 x 71.8 cm), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. #arthistory #downsyndrome #art #painting #oilpainting #Christmas
I am touched by the idea that perhaps the artist had a loved one with Down Syndrome, a child, a sibling, someone in the extended family and chose to include them in this holy scene.
From DownSyndromePrenatalTesting.com: 'In their article, "An Angel With Down Syndrome in a Sixteenth Century Flemish Nativity Painting," Andrew Levitas and Cheryl Reid explain the significance of historical paintings in documenting certain types of disability... Levitas and Reid examined the painting and the portrayals of the individuals in it. They focused on the angel immediately to Mary's left and to the right of the angel in the center of the painting. The authors noted the tell-tale facial features of Down syndrome and that the fingers, particularly those on the left hand, appear shorter. Levitas and Reid further considered the image of the shepherd directly above the angel in the middle, who also has facial features suggestive of Down syndrome.'