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Nativity of Christ

Probably 16th or 17th century
Oil (and tempera?) with gold leaf on panel
44.1 × 33.7 cm (17.4 × 13.3 in)

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Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia · verified July 2026

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FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

This Post-Byzantine icon of Christ's Nativity was probably painted on Crete, an island that had been part of the Byzantine Empire and became a center of icon painting after its fall. The Christ Child rests in a manger—protected by an ox and a donkey, and admired by the Virgin Mary and a flock of angels. To the left, the three Magi approach with gifts; in the foreground, Joseph confronts a man in a dark fur coat who tries (and fails) to sow seeds of doubt regarding Christ's miraculous birth. At the top of the panel, more angels lean over clouds and display banners that announce, "Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth, peace to men" (Luke 2:14).

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