The Nativity (c. 1425)

Fra Angelico is the artist behind "The Nativity", dated c. 1425. The catalogue places it in Religion. The format is portrait. Background on Religion: Christian art follows long-established iconography, such as the Madonna and Child, the Annunciation, and the Crucifixion. Buddhist painting, Hindu devotional imagery, and Islamic calligraphy and ornament each have conventions of their own. Historical background, c. 1425: Printing with movable type spread across Europe in these decades, and woodcuts and engravings began to circulate images far more widely than hand-painted work ever could. The fifteenth century saw the early Renaissance in Italy and the rise of the early Netherlandish painters in the north, when oil paint, linear perspective, and close observation of nature reshaped European painting.

"The Nativity" is offered as a printable file (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI) rather than a shipped item. You receive the files by email after payment and handle printing yourself, which gives you full control over paper, size, and finish. A portrait format suits narrow wall spaces, hallways, and the area beside a door or window. Measuring the wall before choosing a size is the simplest way to avoid a print that feels too small or too large. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing.

Italian, 1400–1455

If you like the visual language of Fra Angelico, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.