Miniature Altarpiece: Nativity

Object Name
Artist/Maker
Object Type
Date
1500-1525
Medium
boxwood
Credit Line
Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase, Robert H. Tannahill Foundation Fund, Benson Ford Fund and Henry Ford II Fund
Object Number
79.177
Location
AGO, Gallery 137 Margaret Eaton Gallery
Institution/Owner

Dimensions

Overall Open: 229.1mm × 85.6mm × 40.8mm × 132.8mm × 69.8mm (22.9 × 8.6 × 4.1 × 13.3 × 7 cm)

Description

Triptych: Upper: Nativity with Annunciation to the Shepherds in the background (centre), Annunciation (left wing), Presentation in the Temple (right wing); lower: Adoration of the Magi (centre), domestic interior with dog (left wing); domestic interior with vase of flowers (right wing)

Signature, Inscriptions, and Markings

Inscription
Carved Latin inscriptions:

ET TV BETHLE [under image on left wing]

TERRA IV NEQUAQUA MIN [under central image]

ISAIAS [on right prophet's scroll in Annunciation to Shepherds in background of central scene]

ES I PRINCIPIBS [under image on right wing] [source: Matthew 2:6]

[source: Wixom 1983]

Published References

William D. Wixom, A Brabantine Boxwood Triptych (Detroit: Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts, 61, 1983, pp 38-45)

Catalogue Raisonné

Romanelli 6

Provenance

Provenance
Nicolas Landau, Paris; Ernest Brummer, Zurich; Brummer sale October 1979, Zurich, lot 136
Previous Owner(s)
Nicolas Landau
Ernest Brummer

Subjects

The online catalogue raisonné and digital photography made possible through the generous support of Thomson Works of Art