The infant Christ lying on a wooden box, the Virgin kneeling in prayer before him, Saint Joseph at left, shepherds at right, in an octagonal frame, after Reni
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 17 1/16 × 14 15/16 in. (43.4 × 38 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.4577
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting engraving, titled *The Infant Christ Lying on a Wooden Box*, a tender Nativity scene inspired by Guido Reni's Baroque masterpiece. The infant Christ rests humbly on a simple wooden box—evoking a manger—while the Virgin Mary kneels in prayer before him. Saint Joseph stands protectively at left, shepherds gather at right with their lambs, and a coat arms adds a noble touch, all framed in an elegant octagonal border. Reni (1575–1642), a leading Bolognese artist, excelled in such graceful, emotive religious subjects, blending classical harmony with spiritual fervor. Created in 178...
About the Artist
Guido Reni|Josiah Boydell|John Boydell|Jean-Baptiste Michel · 1575–1642
Guido Reni (1575–1642) was one of the most celebrated Italian painters of the Baroque era and the dominant figure of the Bolognese School. Born into a family of musicians in Bologna, he trained first with Denys Calvaert before joining the influential Accademia degli Incamminati led by Ludovico Carracci. Reni achieved international fame through his idealizing style that combined Baroque dynamism wi...