The Nativity

Domenico Ghirlandaio painted this Nativity around 1492, one of his last works before his death in January 1494. The Nativity was a subject Ghirlandaio treated with characteristic warmth and naturalism. His late work shows the fully mature artist at the height of his powers, combining narrative clarity with devotional tenderness. Ghirlandaio was the preeminent fresco painter in late fifteenth-century Florence, running a highly efficient workshop that completed major commissions for Florentine churches and the Sistine Chapel.

Tempera on panel with Ghirlandaio's characteristic clear coloring and naturalistic rendering. The intimate Nativity scene demonstrates the warm humanity that defines his devotional work.