The Nativity of the Virgin

Medium:
Tempera on panel

Dimensions:
Overall: 45.8 x 33.8 cm (18 1/16 x 13 5/16 in.)
Framed: 48.3 x 36.8 x 4.1 cm (19 x 14 1/2 x 1 5/8 in.)

In this scene, one of a series on the life of the Virgin, ladies attend to Saint Anne and the newborn Mary. The woman holding the chicken looks directly out of the painting, inviting the viewer in and giving a sense of immediacy and relevance.

Text: Emily Wilkinson
Source: NGA