Nativity
- Artist: Mariotto Albertinelli
- Date: (circa) 1504
- Medium: oil on panel
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the "Nativity" by Mariotto Albertinelli, painted in oil on panel around 1504. The canvas captures a scene that would have been familiar to viewers of the early sixteenth century, rendered with the careful attention to detail that oil on panel allows. The medium gives the piece a rich, luminous quality and a subtle depth of color that invites closer inspection. Albertinelli’s hand is evident in the balanced composition and the delicate play of light across the figures, characteristic of the artist’s approach. The date places the work at a time of evolving techniques and expressive possibilities in painting, offering a snapshot of the creative energies of the period. As you look at the piece, notice how the light seems to fall naturally, lending a quiet, almost contemplative mood to the scene. This work stands as a testament to Albertinelli’s skill and to the broader artistic currents that were shaping the world of painting at that time.
See it in person
Nativity hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
