La Natività di Gesù
Gerard David (Oudewater, 1460 - Bruges, 1523) Seguace di
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.
In frame 47 x 42 cm.
This small gem on copper, depicting the Nativity, is a valuable version of a work by Gerard David, specifically the central panel of the famous Nativity Triptych with Donors and Saints Jerome and Leonard (c. 1515), currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (https://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/ 2012/12/18/bread-from-heaven/ )**.
The work reflects the meticulous and realistic style typical of the Northern Renaissance, characterised 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 region between the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century.
The painting immortalises in the most classical way the episode of the birth of Jesus, who lies in a manger surrounded by an ox and a donkey, with Mary and St Joseph in adoration (the mother holds her hands clasped in prayer, while Joseph crosses his arms over his heart in humility). A curious and unusual detail concerns Joseph, who is represented here as a young man, unlike most depictions.
The detail of the angels of the heavenly host gathered at the site of the divine event, high up on the right, is beautiful, as is the glimpse of the background through an opening, from which shepherds can be seen in a hilly landscape, giving the work an evocative atmosphere of contemplation.
The setting is also very evocative, faithfully replicated from the original prototype, which is based on the passage from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:7): according to tradition, the family could not find shelter in any inn and chose to protect the child inside the dilapidated 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 an attractive frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and guarantee.
We take care of and organise the transport of purchased works, both in Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. It is also possible to view the painting in our gallery in Riva del Garda, where we will be delighted to welcome you and show you our collection of works.
If the work is purchased by non-British customers, it will be necessary to obtain an export permit, which takes approximately 10-20 days. Our gallery will take care of the entire process until the permit is obtained. All costs for this procedure are included.
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