The Nativity
Fra Filippo Lippi and Workshop·probably c. 1445
Historical Context
This Nativity, produced by Fra Filippo Lippi and his workshop around 1445, depicts the birth of Christ in a scene of tender intimacy. Lippi, a Carmelite friar whose scandalous personal life contrasted with his devotional painting, was one of the most innovative artists of early Renaissance Florence. His naturalistic approach to sacred subjects and his influence on Botticelli made him a pivotal figure in Florentine art.
Technical Analysis
The mixed oil and tempera technique on panel reflects the transitional period in Florentine painting. Lippi's characteristic soft, rounded figures and gentle facial expressions are evident, with delicate modeling in the flesh tones and careful attention to textile patterns.
Provenance
Comtesse De Lezze, Nice. (Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi, Florence); sold October 1937 to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York;[1] gift 1939 to NGA. [1] The bill of sale from Contini Bonacossi to the Kress Foundation, dated 20 October 1937, for this and several other paintings, gives the provenance as "Formerly in the Collection of Countess De Lezze, Nizza" (copy in NGA curatorial files). It has not been possible to find further information about this collection. See also The Kress Collection Digital Archive, https://kress.nga.gov/Detail/objects/2248.
