The Nativity
Lorenzo Lotto was an Italian painter well known for his elegant and mystical paintings of religious subjects. He represents one of the best examples of a fruitful relationship between the Venetian and Central Italian Schools. In this work, “[t]he pastoral mood, asymmetrical design, and complex spatial arrangements are typical Venetian variants on a traditional theme. Most unusual are the crucifix behind, and the mousetrap, on which the artist has signed his name, in the lower right corner.” The crucifix was added later by the artist, and represents a Venetian tendency to combine the Birth of Christ and the final moment of the Redemption into one image.
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