Late 15th century
The Adoration of the Christ Child
Biagio d'Antonio da FirenzeItalian (active Florence, Rome, and Faenza), documented 1476 - 1504
The Virgin adoring the Christ Child immediately after birth was one of the most depicted themes in Renaissance Florentine art of the 1400s, particularly in paintings like this one, which were made for private homes. In the upper left background is a view of the walled city of Florence in which the cupola of its famed cathedral is particularly prominent. However, the artist combined real and invented views: the bridge going over the river is a fantasy.
The Virgin's actions following Christ's birth are described in the thirteenth-century text
The Meditations on the Life of Christ: "She knelt to adore him and render thanks to God . . . Joseph adored him likewise." The subject became popular in Italian art after Saint Bridget of Sweden (1302–1373) had a similar vision of the Nativity while on a pilgrimage to Bethlehem.
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