Nativity
n.d.
Medium
Pen and brown ink on cream laid paper, laid down on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
24.3 × 20.3 cm (9 5/8 × 8 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
82447
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints Drawings collection, *Nativity* by Pompeo Ghitti is delicate pen and brown ink drawing on cream paper, measuring a modest 24.3 × 20.3 cm. Created around the 17th century—though undated—this intimate work captures the timeless Christian scene of Christ's birth, a motif central to Italian religious art. Ghitti, a Brescian artist influenced by the Baroque era's dramatic expressions, likely used this sketch as a preparatory study, showcasing his skill in rendering figures and emotion with fluid lines. The medium of pen and brown ink on laid paper w...