Christmas classics: Paintings on the subject of the nativity 

Des O'Sullivan puts the spotlight on the Russian Nativity of Christ and Dutch Rest on the Flight into Egypt 

'The Rest on the Flight into Egypt' by Jacob Symonsz Pynas. Picture: National Gallery of Ireland

The birth of Jesus has been a major subject of Christian art since the fourth century. These two images from the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland are entitled  The Nativity of Christ and The Rest on the Flight into Egypt. 

The story of the flight into Egypt is from the Gospel of St Matthew. An angel appeared to St Joseph in a dream telling him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the Infant Jesus as King Herod would seek to find and kill the Christ child.