Salvatore Fiume - Nativity

The Nativity scene, associated with one of the most important Christian holidays, is one of the most popular subjects in the history of Western art. It was widely popular until religious art gained dominance. Iconographically, the main focus is on the figures of Mary, Baby Jesus, and Saint Joseph, usually depicted in isolation. According to tradition, the event is always set in a hut or cave, accompanied by an ox and a donkey. There are several variations that incorporate the Nativity theme, especially the Adoration of the Shepherds and the Adoration of the Magi. The Nativity scene is, in most cases, accompanied by the appearance of angelic hosts.

This work is part of a series of bas-reliefs, dedicated to religious themes, in which Salvatore Fiume draws inspiration from classical culture, resulting in a quest for naturalism and compositional balance. The subjects' statuesque builds, which are discernible despite the work's small size, are well-proportioned, and their features are clearly defined. The compositions are consistently balanced and based on fluid, sinuous rhythms dictated by the presence of numerous diagonal lines and the movement of the draperies. In this bas-relief, space is balanced, and the subjects create a concrete space for themselves, fully adhering to the principles of harmony and symmetry. Although the figures have a monumental connotation, a certain archaic and iconic quality prevails in the representation. Fiume, in fact, clearly demonstrates his desire to recapture a primordial type of abstraction, typical of ancient civilizations.

Salvatore Fiume was born in 1915 in Comiso and died in Milan in 1997. In addition to being a painter and sculptor, he was also an architect. His career as a painter focused on a reinterpretation of classicism, particularly Renaissance painting and Piero della Francesca. Later, thanks to his success, he traveled extensively around the world, drawing inspiration from exotic folklore, which he rendered in an expressionist manner.

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