The Nativity
ca. 1433–34
Medium
Tempera and gold on wood
Dimensions
7 3/8 x 17 1/8 in. (18.7 x 43.5 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of May Dougherty King, 1983
Accession Number
1983.490
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the glowing radiance of *The Nativity* byobi Strozzi, a Florentine artist active in the early Renaissance around 1433–34. This intimate tempera and gold on wood panel (7 3/8 x 17 1/8 in.) captures the sacred birth of Christ in a stable, surrounded by the Virgin Mary tenderly holding the infant Jesus, Joseph in quiet devotion, adoring angels, and humble animals like cows and don. Strozzi's delicate composition draws from traditional Christian iconography, evoking and humility in a compact format perfect for private devotion. Crafted in tempera—a vibrant egg-based paint layered over g...