Ferrarese School, 16th century

The Ferrarese School developed during the 2nd half of the 15th century with the support of the Dukes d’ Este. Characteristic of the artist's direction is the brilliant colors, sharp modelling, lighting that highlights the plasticity of shapes, and the use of ancient realia. The leading representatives of this style included, for example, Cosimo Tura and Lorenzo Costa, and in the 16th century Nicola Pisano, Dosso Dossi, and many others. The painting depicts a small Christ in the arms of two angels who point him towards the Virgin Mary. She and Saint Joseph gaze at him lovingly. The scene is complemented by an angelic chorus playing various instruments and two saints, probably St. Jerome and St. Christopher, who frame the entire scene. The characters are located among the ruins of a building, through whose windows the surrounding countryside and the nearby town, likely Bethlehem, are visible. The colors are bright, the lines sharp, which are particularly emphasized in modelling the drapery. The painting is set in a substantial carved gilded frame.