The Nativity thumbnail 1
The Nativity thumbnail 2
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

The Nativity

Relief
third quarter of the 15th century (sculpted), ca.1888 (cast)
Artist/Maker
Rossellino, Antonio (sculptor)
Place of origin
Florence (sculpted)

Plaster cast of The Nativity after the marble original roundel by Antonio Rossellino, in the Museo Nazionale (Bargello), Florence.

Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Christianity
Plaster Cast
Object type
Relief
TitleThe Nativity (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Plaster cast
Plaster
Cast
Brief description
Plaster cast relief, The Nativity, after a marble original by Antonio Rossellino, cast. ca. 1888
Physical description
Plaster cast of The Nativity after the marble original roundel by Antonio Rossellino, in the Museo Nazionale (Bargello), Florence.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 122cm
  • Framed height: 142cm
  • Framed width: 144cm
  • Framed depth: 26.5cm
  • Framed weight: 146kg
Framed measurements taken on 18/11/2010 for Cast Courts project
Object history
Acquired in exchange from the Berlin Museum in 1888 for £5 (100 marks)
Historical context
There are no documents relating to the commission or original location of this relief and it is ascribed to Antonio Rossellino on stylistic grounds. It was purchased for the Bargello in 1815 from Avvocato Raffaello Maldura. In 1837-44, the Nativity was copied by Lorenzo Bartolini for his monument to Countess Zamoyska in the church of S. Croce, Florence. There is a full-scale nineteenth century marble copy of the Bargello tondo in the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. A terracotta variant of the original composition which was formerly in the Königliche Museen in Berlin, was believed at one time to be the model for Rossellino's Nativity.
Subjects depicted
Babies
Prayer
The Virgin Mary
Jesus Christ
Nativity, The
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
REPRO.1888-521

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdDecember 7, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O12538/the-nativity-relief-rossellino-antonio/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest