The Art of Advent: Day One
Welcome to the first day of HASTA’s The Art of Advent, 2023. With last night being one of the coldest November nights on record, what more could you want than to cosy up and read HASTA’s Christmas themed articles and podcast, exhibition and book recommendations (that you might want to put on your Christmas list). Publishing between now and Christmas Eve, return every day to be greeted with a new article – so whilst you enjoy your chocolate treat from one calendar, you can have a look at HASTA’s virtual one at the same time.
Behind the first virtual door is a brief history of the advent calendar. Whilst it may not be considered a classically conventional artwork, the calendar has proven a means of artistic expression since the nineteenth century. Prior to advent calendars as we know them today, the church counts the weeks down to Christmas with candlelit wreath. Within the Christian church, Advent is celebrated on four consecutive Sundays, beginning on the Sunday closest to the 30th November and ending upon Christmas Eve.
During the 19th century, German Lutherans visualised the countdown to Christmas by drawing chalk marks on the door. It was not until 1908, where the German printer Gerhard Lanf produced the first advent calendar using the printing press, introducing the little door motif behind which the owner is treated to small images. Around this time, much like HASTA, a German newspaper also included an early form of the advent calendar as part of their publication.
President Eisenhower's grandchildren join in an appeal for sales of "Little Christmas Town" Advent calendars by the national Epilepsy League. Bettman Archive/ Getty Images.
Almost dying out with the cardboard shortage during the second world war and the rise of Nazism, the advent calendar was saved by Richard Sellmer who brought the tradition over to the United States; popularised by Eisenhower’s grandchildren who were photographed holding up their advent calendar. The only treat behind the doors of these early advent calendars was pictures or bible verse; it was only in 1965 when Cadbury produced calendars with little chocolate behind each door.
Posy Simmonds, National Gallery Advent Calendar, ca. 2000. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Since then the advent calendar has increasingly become secularised, running from the 1st December until the 24th. A personal favourite, the artist Simmonds Posy designed an advent calendar of a sign within the National Gallery with small cherubs flying with gifts above the visitors, with each door displaying different paintings hung within the gallery. With Christmas-themed images of the nativity scene, snowy vistas and Father Christmas – the advent calendar acts as an unconventional art object that everyday consumers appreciate and display within their home.