''Nativity of the Virgin'' is a fresco painting by
Andrea del Sarto
Andrea del Sarto (, , ; 16 July 1486 – 29 September 1530) was an Italian painter from Florence, whose career flourished during the High Renaissance and early Mannerism. He was known as an outstanding fresco decorator, painter of altar-pieces, ...
in the Chiostro dei Voti of
Santissima Annunziata in Florence. It is signed and dated in 1514, though most of the work on it is thought to have been carried out in 1513.
History
A series of documents dating to 1511–1513 document progress on the work. From them, Shearman theorises that most of the painting took place in 1513. Andrea wished to leave after completing the frescoes of the life of
Philip Benizi de Damiani
Philip Benizi (sometimes St Philip Benitius, and in Italian Filippo Benizzi) (August 15, 1233 – August 22, 1285) was a general superior of the Order of the Servites, and credited with reviving the order. Pope Leo X recognised his cult 24 January ...
on the opposite side of the atrium. However, the friar in charge of the frescoes, the sacristan fra Mariano dal Canto delle Macine, insisted that Andrea paint two further lunettes with scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. Andrea agreed, only in return for an increased payment for the final frescoes.
Like the other frescoes in the series, the ''Nativity'' was detached from the wall, restored and replaced during the 1960s, which limited its damage from the
Florence flood of 1966. The Gabinetto dei Disegni e delle Stampe of the
Uffizi includes a late 16th century drawing of the fresco, attributed to
Maso da San Friano
Maso da San Friano (1536–1571) was an Italian painter active in Florence. His real name was Tomaso D'Antonio Manzuoli. He was born in San Friano and died in Florence.
According to Giorgio Vasari, Maso was a pupil of Pier Francesco Foschi whi ...
(n. 6466).
Description and style
The painting is derived, like the rest of the cycle, from a work of
Domenico Ghirlandaio
Domenico di Tommaso Curradi di Doffo Bigordi (, , ; 2 June 1448 – 11 January 1494), professionally known as Domenico Ghirlandaio, also spelled as Ghirlandajo, was an Italian Renaissance painter born in Florence. Ghirlandaio was part of ...
, the ''Natività di Maria'' of the
Tornabuoni Chapel in
Santa Maria Novella
Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence, Italy, situated opposite, and lending its name to, the city's main railway station. Chronologically, it is the first great basilica in Florence, and is the city's principal Dominican church.
The chu ...
. The bed has a similar composition, with the people arranged around it, although del Sarto rotated the elements and added vertical components with the canopy and angels crowded around the scene. The richness of the poses, often linked to references, the balanced artificiality, the sumptuous clothes, the reduced pallet of rare colors such as violets, made the ''Nativity'' a key work of the 16th century that was often studied by
Mannerist painters.
Art historian emphasized the work's "sustained, but warm, prose" and the monumental effect given by the canopied bed.
Bibliography
* Eugenio Casalini, ''La SS. Annunziata di Firenze'', Becocci Editore, Firenze 1980.
External links
*
{{Authority control
Sarto
category:1514 paintings
Paintings by Andrea del Sarto