In sorting through the books owned by my maternal grandmother, I recently came across a gift she received in 1901, when she was 10 years old. The book is entitled The Good Shepherd and consists of the life of Jesus in language for a young child. There are several lithographs and line drawings. I include here one of “The Infant Jesus” in a more realistic setting than most Christmas card scenarios. I love the cow in the immediate background. clearly one of good European stock, as the face of Mary also suggests. It must have been warm enough this Christmas season in Bethlehem, as the infant child is naked, apart from the halo.

The second image is of the three wise men; well, I do see three camels but one of the wise men has dismounted. The saddles look authentic (for the 19th century).