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Popular "Nativity" painting on display at BYU Museum of Art

Artist Brian Kershisnik to give lecture Dec. 13

This Christmas season, the Brigham Young University Museum of Art will welcome back one of Utah artist Brian Kershisnik’s newest and largest works, “Nativity.” The painting will be on public display from Tuesday, Dec. 11, through Saturday, Jan. 12, during regular museum hours in the West Lied Gallery on the museum’s main level.

“Nativity,” which measures 17 feet long and a little more than seven feet high, depicts a host of angels flowing past Mary, Joseph and the newly born baby Jesus. The painting was originally part of the museum’s “Beholding Salvation: Images of Christ” exhibition and was a favorite of patrons last holiday season.

“The scope and exuberance of Kershisnik’s ‘Nativity’ painting offer additional insight and layers of meaning to the biblical account of the birth of Christ,” said Museum of Art curator of religious art Dawn Pheysey. “We’re thrilled to be able to show this magnificent painting again this holiday season.”

In conjunction with the display of the painting, Kershisnik will present a free public lecture about the work at noon on Thursday, Dec. 13, in the Museum of Art Auditorium.

Joining “Nativity” on display will be on other religious works from the museum’s permanent collection of religious art, including Eustache Le Sueur’s “Adoration of the Shepherds,” John Rogers Herbert’s “Our Savior Subject to his Parents at Nazareth,” Carl Bloch’s “Christ Healing the Sick at Bethesda,” Edward John Poynter’s “The Prodigal’s Return,” “Head of Christ” by the Circle of Rembrandt, and Ron Richmond’s “Triplus No. 3.”

Admission to the museum, the exhibition of religious art and Kershisnik’s lecture is free and open to the public. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. The museum will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.For more information, contact the Museum of Art Information Desk at (801) 422-8287.

Writer: Aaron Searle

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Photo by Kaitlyn Pieper/BYU Photo

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