Happy Christmas Eve everyone. My new header is an altarpiece painted by the Flemish artist, Hugo van der Goes in 1475 as a private devotion piece for the Medici banker, Tommaso Portinari. It’s central theme is the Adoration of the Shepherds from Luke’s Gospel, but is crammed with religious symbolism, more of which later.

But first a question – Why did this painting cause outrage when it was first displayed?