Nativity of the Virgin 1400

Cennino Cennini's "Nativity of the Virgin" (c. 1400) depicts the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus. The scene is set in a room with a red bed canopy, and five women attend to the newborn Mary. The artist, Cennino Cennini, was a celebrated painter and writer, known for his detailed treatise on painting techniques, "Il Libro dell'Arte." This work exemplifies the Italian Gothic style with its emphasis on the representation of a specific event in a naturalistic manner. The scene, although religious in nature, conveys an intimacy and emotional connection between the women, characteristic of the era.