Artwork
The Nativity
The Nativity is an unspecified painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Jacopo da Sellaio. It dates from 1490 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays the Nativity of Jesus, the central Christian event of Christ’s birth.
The painting portrays the Nativity of Jesus, the central Christian event of Christ’s birth. According to the sources, the composition includes the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and John the Baptist alongside Jesus Christ, emphasizing the holy family and the forerunner’s presence. The main subject is explicitly identified as the Nativity of Jesus, situating the work within devotional religious art that underscores the incarnation and the fulfillment of prophecy.
History & Provenance
The Nativity is a religious painting executed by Jacopo da Sellaio in 1480, depicting the Nativity of Jesus with figures of Mary, the Christ Child, John the Baptist, and other participants. The work measures 104.1 × 68.6 cm and is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which lists it as part of its collection. No documentation of the painting’s original commission or subsequent ownership prior to its acquisition by the museum is provided in the sources.
The dating of 1480 is confirmed by both the artist’s catalogue entry and the work’s recorded inception date.
The work is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, with the accession number 1975.1.120. The painting entered the museum’s collection in 1975 through the Rogers Fund. It has been exhibited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of its collection, including in the 2011 presentation "The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guide" and in the 2017 reinstallation of the museum’s European Paintings galleries.
Overview
This painting, titled The Nativity, presents an intimate scene centered on a woman cradling an infant. A second child reaches out towards them, completing the central group. Behind these figures, a landscape unfolds, featuring trees and architectural elements that suggest a small settlement.
The composition draws the viewer's attention primarily to the human interaction, establishing a sense of quiet contemplation within the depicted narrative.
Technique & Style
The artist employs a focused composition, rendering the three central figures with soft detail, particularly evident in the depiction of the small infant. The woman's dark robe, accented with gold trim, provides a visual anchor, contrasting with the delicate forms of the children. While a landscape of trees and buildings recedes into the background, it remains secondary, ensuring that the emotional and narrative weight rests entirely on the intimate grouping in the foreground.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacopo del Sellaio (1441/42–1493) was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance, active in his native Florence.
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