Heavily gilded with gold, this depiction of the Nativity was painted over 600 years ago by the Italian Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) (ca. 1370-1423/24). It was made with tempera on wood and managed to survive all these years mostly intact. The painting uses gold accents to provide light in the night as angels and a humble Mary and Joseph watch over the infant Jesus.
The Nativity by Giovanni depicting of the birth of Christ is currently housed in an American museum and the picture we are showing here is most likely the work of an American which would put it in the public domain everywhere.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
