Follower of Gerard David, Nativity Scene, 1600, Oil Painting

Details

Description

The nativity of jesus

flemish school, late 16th/early 17th century
gerard david (oudewater, c. 1460 - bruges, 1523) follower of

… Read more The nativity of jesus

flemish school, late 16th/early 17th century
gerard david (oudewater, c. 1460 - bruges, 1523) follower of

oil on copper (30 x 25 cm - framed 47 x 42 cm)

this small copperplate gem, depicting the nativity, is a fine version of a work by gerard david, specifically the central panel of the famous triptych of the nativity with donors and saints jerome and leonard (c. 1515), currently housed at the metropolitan museum of art in new york.

the work reflects the meticulous and realistic style typical of the northern renaissance, characterized by remarkable compositional balance and meticulous attention to detail. Gerard david was the last of the great masters of the bruges school, and his work was widely studied and replicated by his workshop, both during his lifetime and especially after his death.

our composition in particular, certainly commissioned as an object of private devotion, is the work of a follower of the great master, active in the flemish school between the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

the painting classically captures the birth of jesus, who lies in a manger surrounded by an ox and a donkey, with mary and saint joseph in adoration (the mother holds her hands clasped in prayer, while joseph folds his arms over his heart in humility). A curious and unusual detail concerns joseph, depicted here as a young man, unlike most depictions.

the beautiful detail of the angels of the heavenly host gathered at the site of the divine event, at the top right, and the glimpse of the background, through an opening, revealing shepherds in a hilly landscape, give the work a suggestive atmosphere of contemplation.

the setting is also very evocative, faithfully replicated from the original prototype, which takes inspiration from the gospel of luke (luke 2:7): according to tradition, the family found no refuge in any inn and chose to protect the child inside the crumbling palace of king david of the old testament, an ancestor of christ.


gerard david, triptych, 1505, 90 x 71 cm
metropolitan museum of art (new york, united states)

additional information:

the work is sold complete with a beautiful frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and guarantee. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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