The Nativity
Bernard van Orley’s 'The Nativity' looks like a holy scene that has survived a battle with time itself. While you can clearly see Mary in her rich blue gown kneeling beside the infant Jesus, and Joseph in his pink robes, huge swathes of the paint have flaked away to reveal the wooden panel beneath. You can even spot tiny angels peeking over the manger and an ox in the shadows. As a leading Flemish Renaissance painter, Van Orley was known for blending Italian style with Northern detail—though here, the 'Northern detail' is literally peeling away!
- Technique
- Oil painting
- Material
- Wood panel
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