Second half of the 15th century Wood, oil, 41 x 30 cm
Description In addition to this composition, at least six almost identical paintings by the master’s followers have survived, the prototype for which was the now lost large-format painting by Dirk Bouts. Two identical fragments are also known: “The Praying Mother of God” from the Berlin Art Gallery and “Joseph with the Two Magi” from the Louvre.
The iconography of the worship of the Child was widespread from the dawn of the Renaissance until the Baroque era. The plot was found in two iconographic types: the worship of the Magi and the worship of the shepherds.
The presented painting depicts: Madonna, Child and Joseph the Betrothed. The characters are in a once magnificent but now ruined Gothic palace, which brings the biblical narrative closer to the viewer. On the left, near the manger, there is a bull and a donkey. In the background are two shepherds against the backdrop of an endless global landscape. The painting is a typical example of early Netherlandish painting. The eyes of all the characters are focused on the Baby, from whom radiance emanates.