Birth of Jesus with Magi and Celestial Observers

Birth of Jesus with Magi and Celestial Observers depicts the story of the Nativity, or the birth of Jesus Christ, as described in the Bible. The story involves the Magi, or Three Wise Men, who followed a star to Bethlehem to find the newborn King of the Jews. This story has been interpreted as a celestial event that guided the Magi. 

Scenes depicting the Nativity are a recurring theme in Christian art. They are generally found in church settings, as altarpieces, frescoes, and sculptures. They serve as both objects of devotion and visual examples of worshippers in the act of devotion.

In this painting African artist Ancent Soi adapts traditional Christian figures and symbolism for a Kenyan audience. Soi, who passed away in 2022, is one of Kenya’s most celebrated artists. He began his painting career while he was working at a city market in Nairobi. He sold wood carvings and paintings at the market, and his artwork gained widespread popularity within the city.

I paint to please myself. If other people like them, I am flattered but it is not very important. I do not want to change my way of life.

Ancent Soi

Soi was a self-taught artist who started off painting in watercolors. He later switched to creating oil paintings on canvas. Many of his paintings depict scenes of traditional ceremonies, childhood memories, and rural life in Kenya. His work mixes Catholic imagery with indigenous cosmology, or the worldviews and spiritual beliefs of Indigenous peoples. In 1971 Soi won a design competition for African artists. He received a gold medal and the opportunity to design a poster for the 1972 Munich Olympics.