Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index


  • Title: Nativity
  • Creator:
  • Description: In the center of a pyramidal rocky landscape, the Virgin reclines on a red cloth. The hand of God appears from a cloud above and releases three rays onto the Christ child, who lays in a manger. His swaddling clothes give him the appearance of a wrapped corpse, a foretelling of his Passion. The three magi approach from the left bearing their gifts. Below Joseph sits on a rock and is tempted by a demon in the guise of a shepherd to break his engagement to Mary. To the right the Christ child is bathed by two nurses.
  • Source: WikiMedia Commons
  • Rights: Public domain
  • Subject (See Also): Demons Childbirth Icons Magi Mary, Virgin, Saint Nativity Nurses
  • Geographic Area: Eastern Mediterranean
  • Century: 15
  • Date: ca. 1475
  • Related Work:
  • Current Location: Vicenza, The Galleries of Leoni Montanari Palace, Inv. E.I-S0175A-D/IS
  • Original Location:
  • Artistic Type (Category): Digital images; Paintings
  • Artistic Type (Material/Technique): Panel paintings; Tempera
  • Donor:
  • Height/Width/Length(cm): 58.5cm/43.6cm/
  • Inscription:
  • Related Resources: