Artwork
The Nativity
The Nativity is an unspecified painting by the Sienese School artist Bernardino Fungai. It dates from 1508 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Classified as a religious work, the image treats the Incarnation as a moment of sacred revelation, with the Christ Child at the heart of the visual narrative.
The painting depicts the Nativity of Jesus, presenting the birth of Christ as its central subject. The composition includes the figures of Mary, the Christ Child, and Joseph, the Holy Family gathered around the newborn Savior in a scene of devotional intimacy. Classified as a religious work, the image treats the Incarnation as a moment of sacred revelation, with the Christ Child at the heart of the visual narrative.
Held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the work belongs to the tradition of Renaissance Nativity imagery, in which the birth of Jesus is rendered as both a historical event and a theological statement about divine presence entering the world.
Technique & Style
Painted in tempera on poplar panel in 1508, Fungai's Nativity is a Sienese devotional work combining fine linear draughtsmanship with gilding on the haloes and decorative passages. The Holy Family is arranged within a shallow, stage-like setting, with the Christ Child at the center of the composition. Specific details of the palette, surface handling, and the painting's physical condition are not documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
Created in 1508, The Nativity is a religious painting executed by the Italian artist Bernardino Fungai. The work depicts the biblical scene of the Nativity of Jesus, featuring figures such as Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child. While specific details regarding the original commission or the early ownership chain are not provided in the available records, the painting's inception is dated to the beginning of the sixteenth century.
The artwork currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is preserved as an example of Fungai's devotional output from this period.
Overview
This painting presents a serene depiction of the Nativity, centering on three figures in a tranquil setting. A bearded man kneels on the left, while a woman attends to a small child positioned within a shallow pool of water. A third, standing figure is visible in the background.
The scene unfolds against a distant, rocky landscape dotted with small structures and trees, conveying a sense of quiet reverence.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Bernardino Fungai (1460 – c. 1516) was an Italian painter whose work marks the transition from late Gothic painting to the early Renaissance in the Sienese school. He maintained a fairly archaic style in his works,…
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