The Nativity

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints department, where Giuseppe Passeri's *The Nativity* (. 1654–1714) captivates with its intimate scale and devotional warmth. This delicate drawing, measuring just 7 7/16 × 5 1/2 inches, depicts the sacred moment of Christ's birth, centering the Madonna and Child amid the humble stable scene—a timeless motif in Christian art that Passeri renders with tender emotion. Crafted in pen and brown ink, and red wash, highlighted white over red chalk, the work showcases virtuoso mixed-media techniques favored by 17th- and early 18th-century Italian draftsmen. The red wash builds subtle tonal depth, while white highlights sculpt light on figures and drapery, evoking a glowing divine aura. Such preparatory studies were essential for painters like Passeri, bridging sketch to canvas in the vibrant Roman Baroque tradition. A generous gift from Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1880, this gem preserves Passeri's legacy as a master of religious narrative. For visitors, it offers a window into Baroque piety, where everyday materials illuminate eternal stories of hope and incarnation.

About the Artist

Giuseppe Passeri (Passari) · 1654–1714

**Giuseppe Passeri (1654–1714)** was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active primarily in his native Rome. Born on 12 March 1654, he trained first with his uncle, the painter and biographer Giovanni Battista Passeri, before entering the studio of the leading Roman artist Carlo Maratta. This rigorous preparation shaped his elegant, classicizing approach to composition and figure drawing, ...