The Nativity
Jaume Ferrer the Younger·c. 1457
Historical Context
Jaume Ferrer the Younger's Nativity from around 1457 depicts the birth of Christ with the tender, decorative treatment characteristic of late Gothic Catalan painting. This panel likely formed part of the same altarpiece as the companion Annunciation, together narrating the Infancy of Christ. The rich gold ground and detailed surface ornamentation demonstrate the persistence of Gothic splendor in Catalan altarpieces.
Technical Analysis
The oil, tempera, and gold on fir panel combines the luminous gold ground of the Gothic tradition with increasingly naturalistic figure painting. The detailed rendering of the stable setting and the tender treatment of the Christ Child show the transition toward greater realism within the Gothic framework.
Provenance
Church in Peralta de la Sal, likely sold to Celestino Dupont; Celestino Dupont, France; French and Company, New York, NY, sold to Frank H. Ginn; Frank H. Ginn, Cleveland, OH, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art; The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
