The Nativity of the Lord, 19th century

Egg tempera on panel

Height x width: 43 x 34.5 cm

as indicated by the inscription in Old Church Slavonic at the top of the central field—"Rozhdestvo Khristovo" (Рождество Христово)—which translates literally as "The Birth of Christ" or "The Nativity of Christ." From an iconographic perspective, the panel departs somewhat from more archaic, rugged Russian models (which traditionally set the scene inside a dark cave) to adopt a compositional variant influenced by Western painting—prevalent from the 18th century onwards—in which the Nativity takes place inside a wooden hut or stable with a sloping roof, flanked by a masonry arch in the Classical style. At the center of the composition sits the Mother of God, solemn and hieratic in her purple robe, turned toward the manger where the swaddled Child lies; His straw cradle is watched over by the ox and the donkey, which emerge from the shadowy background. Surrounding the Holy Family are the key figures of the Gospel narrative: on the left, standing behind the Virgin, Saint Joseph is depicted in a pensive pose, accompanied by an elderly shepherd or a prophet; on the right, in the foreground, are the Three Magi—sumptuously attired in royal robes and draped cloaks—captured in the solemn moment of offering their gifts (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) contained in precious caskets.