The Nativity and Annunciation to the Shepherds

Jacopo di Cione, the youngest of the Cione brothers who dominated Florentine painting after the Black Death, produced this Nativity panel around 1370 for the National Gallery's collection. The combination of Nativity and Annunciation to the Shepherds in a single composition was a standard feature of Italian Gothic narrative cycles. Jacopo inherited the workshop of his more famous brother Andrea (Orcagna) and maintained its productive output for Florentine churches and guilds.

Tempera on panel with gold leaf background, featuring the layered narrative composition typical of Trecento altarpiece predella scenes. The figures show Jacopo's characteristic blend of Orcagnesque solidity with a softer, more lyrical line.