The Nativity, Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)

Story of the birth of ChristLuke 2:1-20

9 hands · 1300–1612

And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar…Luke 2:1

  1. Shrine of the Virgin, Unknownca. 1300Unknown
  2. The Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux, Queen of France, Jean Pucelleca. 1324–28Jean Pucelle
  3. Crib of the Infant Jesus, Unknown15th centuryUnknown
  4. The Nativity, Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)ca. 1406–10Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)This record
  5. The Adoration of the Shepherds, Andrea Mantegnashortly after 1450Andrea Mantegna
  6. Christ Is Born as Man's Redeemer (Episode from the Story of the Redemption of Man), Unknown1500–1520Unknown
  7. The Nativity, Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528)c. 1502–3Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528)
  8. The Adoration of the Shepherds, El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)ca. 1605–10El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)
  9. The Adoration of the Shepherds, El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) and Workshopca. 1612–14El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) and Workshop

What it depicts

Luke 2:1-20Opened by an editor anchoring a notation that states no passage of its own. Iconclass glosses 73B2 as "adoration of the Christ-child ~ Christ’s birth" and states no reference, because the reference is its neighbour’s: 73B1 is the story of the birth of Christ, Luke 2:1-20. The adoration is what happens in those verses, so it opens that subject rather than a new one.

1And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled.

2This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria.

3And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city.

4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David,

5To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.

6And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered.

7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock.

9And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear.

10And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:

11For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.

12And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying:

14Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.

15And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us.

16And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

17And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child.

18And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.

19But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.

20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Read it in Luke

Seen

Not described yet.

Of

The subjects are the library’s own joins, each marked with who made it. The other rows are claims by the holder and by Wikidata, read 2026-09-17, and join nothing until an editor confirms them.

Subject
Story of the birth of ChristLuke 2:1-20joined by editor pass delegated by Abe Garcia, 2026-09-18
Iconclass
73B13
Holder's headings
Holy Family, Nativity
Wikidata depicts
Nativity of Jesus, Holy Family, Christ Child

Means

No reading yet.

Rights

Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Licence
CC0-1.0
Evidence
metmuseum.org collection api v1: isPublicDomain=true on object 459007 (read 2026-09-16)
Record
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/459007
The Nativity, Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)
The Nativity — Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)ca. 1406–10

How this join was made

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY gives this object the Iconclass notation73B13, and the library's map reads that notation as Luke 2:1-20. An editor has checked the picture against the passage and confirmed it.

Confirmed: the object's own title names the scene and the matched notation or heading is specific to it.

Also by Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)

1
David, Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)
DavidLorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)ca. 1408–10Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Within fifty years of ca. 1406–10

54
Saint Benedict Presenting his Rule to Benedictine and Cistercian Monks in a Historiated Initial "O" from a Choirbook, Martino di Bartolomeo di Biagio
Saint Benedict Presenting his Rule to Benedictine and Cistercian Monks in a Historiated Initial "O" from a ChoirbookMartino di Bartolomeo di Biagio1394/95The Art Institute of Chicago
The Nativity in a Historiated Initial "P" from a Choir Book, Master of the Brussels Initials
The Nativity in a Historiated Initial "P" from a Choir BookMaster of the Brussels Initialsc. 1390The Art Institute of Chicago
The Annunciation, Unknown
The AnnunciationUnknown1380sCleveland Museum of Art
Speculum Humanae Salvationis, English from the Abbey of Great Missenden
Speculum Humanae SalvationisEnglish from the Abbey of Great Missenden1382/1406The Art Institute of Chicago
The Adoration of the Magi, Bartolo di Fredi
The Adoration of the MagiBartolo di Fredica. 1390Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
The Agony in the Garden, Unknown
The Agony in the GardenUnknownca. 1390Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Adoration of the Magi from Seven Scenes from the Life of Christ, Unknown
Adoration of the Magi from Seven Scenes from the Life of ChristUnknownca. 1390Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Corpus of Christ, from the Altarpiece of the Crucifixion, Jacques de Baerze
Corpus of Christ, from the Altarpiece of the CrucifixionJacques de Baerze1391–99The Art Institute of Chicago

Also at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

749
Marble female figure, Bastis Master
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Design Amulet, Pyramidal Back with Horizontal Piercing, Device showing Two Falcons Flanking what is meant to be an Ankh Sign, Unknown
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Design Amulet, Cow Nursing Calf and also a Kneeling Suckling Man Visible on Opposite Side on the Back, Device showing Antithetical Falcons with an Ankh Sign over a Lion, Unknown
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Design Amulet, Back in the Form of a Woman Suckling a Child, Device showing Two Lizards Head-to-tail, Unknown
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Connections

Depicts

Next

Made in the fifteenth century, like The Nativity.

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