1499
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
The Nativity is a 1499 ink by Mair von Landshut, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This picture shows a busy night scene with a woman holding a baby in a stable. Around her, a man on the left looks on, while a cow and donkey peek from a window. Angels and musicians float above, and a soldier sleeps below. The colors are mostly green, yellow, and white, with sharp lines everywhere. The artist used tiny lines to create shadows and texture, a method called *cross-hatching*. This was common in Renaissance prints. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
Mair von Landshut (active c. 1485–1504 or later) was a German engraver, painter, and designer of woodcuts, who worked in Bavaria. He probably came from Freising near Munich, and worked in both towns, as well as…
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