The Adoration of the Shepherds

Nancy Schnarr-Bruell, an artist from Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, created this three-dimensional version of an illustration in _The Christ Child_, a 1931 children’s book by Maud and Miska Petersham. The Petershams, a husband-and-wife artist team, were well known in the first half of the 20th century as illustrators and authors of children’s literature. Before illustrating _The Christ Child_, the Petershams traveled together for three months in Palestine, researching the clothing and customs of the Holy Land.

The Petershams’ books were well regarded by Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn; Mildred gave copies of _The Christ Child_ to over 100 families and friends in the year 1949 alone. The Pitcairns’ enthusiasm for the book was so great that in the late 1930s they commissioned artist Frank Snyder to paint a life-size interpretation of the illustration of the Adoration of the Shepherds for Glencairn, their newly-completed home in Bryn Athyn.

The three-dimensional version of the Petershams’ illustration was hand carved and sewn by Nancy Schnarr-Bruell; the backdrop was created by her husband, John Bruell. According to Nancy,

“I love making Nativities because I love making images of the Lord. I think the Petershams in the The Christ Child book, especially in their illustration of the Adoration of the Shepherds, were able to capture a sphere of innocence that we should all strive for when we come before the Lord. I grew up with many of the Petersham books, and The Christ Child was a favorite part of my childhood Christmas tradition. Ever since I was little I’ve always wanted to ‘step inside’ the scene, and be there at the manger with the shepherds. So . . . I decided to make a three-dimensional version. I hope it will help others to experience what I’ve been experiencing in my own imagination for many years.” (See External Link.)

Sources:
- Ed and Kirsten Gyllenhaal, “Meet the Artists: Tenth Anniversary of the World Nativities Exhibition,” _Glencairn Museum News_, Number 11, 2018.