In 1901 Melville embarked upon a major project that was to preoccupy him for the rest of his life. Working on a massive scale, he began a series of religious pictures that he referred to as ‘Christmas Carols’. This is one of a series of four large oil paintings showing scenes from the nativity, and although unfinished, this is the most complete of the set. Sadly this project was never to be completed, as Melville died from typhoid in August 1904, aged forty seven. Another in the series, 'Christmas Morning', also unfinished, is in Aberdeen Art Gallery.