Getty Museum
The Nativity
Creator
Jean BourdichonFrench Illuminator · 1457–1521
All works by this person →Over the course of a career that lasted nearly forty years, Jean Bourdichon served as official court painter to four successive French kings: Louis XI, Charles VIII, Louis XII, and François I. As court painter, he designed stained glass windows, coins, and gold plate, illuminated manuscripts, and executed independent paintings. Charles VIII set up a workshop for him in his castle at Plessis-lès-To
More on Getty ULAN- Date
- about 1480–1485
- Medium
- Tempera colors, gold, and ink
- Culture
- French
- Department
- Manuscripts
- Institution
- Getty Museum
- Object ID
- b5b5f60b-e19b-4277-8601-e6edb73d1f97
From the Getty Museum record
Jean Bourdichon followed the venerable tradition of using sumptuous gold, combining it with an interest in representing the natural world. He painted gold stars against the deep blue night sky and gold rays piercing through the roof of the manger and extending to the infant. From the child emanate more golden rays that light up the interior of the building and illuminate the figures of Mary and Joseph, reflected as highlights on their clothing. Bourdichon carefully observed how light acts in the physical world, but he also endowed that light with a spiritual quality, indicating its heavenly origin. The miniature accompanies a verse from Psalm 69, which opens the prayers for Prime--as well as other hours--in the Hours of the Virgin: *Deus in adiutorium meum intende. Domine ad adiuvandum me festina* (God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me).
The authoritative record is held by Getty Museum. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
Get printable QR codesHide QR codes
Open QR codes for this object page and the museum record. They stay collapsed until needed.
Related across collections
Semantically similar works from Getty Museum and other institutions.