Artwork
Nativity
Nativity is a tempera painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Girolamo dai Libri. It dates from 1515 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Girolamo dai Libri's 1515 tempera painting depicts the Nativity of Jesus, a central subject in religious art representing the birth of Christ.
Girolamo dai Libri's 1515 tempera painting depicts the Nativity of Jesus, a central subject in religious art representing the birth of Christ. The work utilizes traditional iconography associated with this biblical event, rendered on parchment with tempera and gilt paint. The inclusion of gilt elements likely serves to symbolize divine light or holiness, enhancing the spiritual significance of the scene. As a devotional image, the small-scale composition focuses on the sacred narrative, inviting contemplation of the incarnation.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1515, this small-scale religious work by Girolamo dai Libri utilizes tempera and gilt paint applied to a parchment support. The piece measures 17 cm in height and 12 cm in width, indicating an intimate format likely intended for private devotion or illumination rather than large public display. The combination of opaque tempera with reflective gold leaf on the flexible parchment surface creates a luminous quality characteristic of early sixteenth-century Italian manuscript traditions adapted for independent devotional images.
Overview
Girolamo dai Libri's "Nativity," a tempera painting from 1515, depicts the birth of Christ. This religious work is presently housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art. The composition centers on the Holy Family within a humble stable, surrounded by traditional elements and an expansive landscape, offering a serene interpretation of the biblical event.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Girolamo dai Libri was an Italian illuminator of manuscripts and painter of altarpieces, working in an early Renaissance style.
