THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST - Lot 204

THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST Venetian-Cretan icon, 17th c. Tempera on gilded leaf panel. Private devotional icon, polyptych flap or central part of a triptych. A charming little panel combining the Byzantine tradition and the maniera latina, the Nativity of Christ is depicted in its Western-style form, known as the Adoration of the Magi. The icon is in good structural condition, but has undergone numerous restorations: The panel has been glued vertically in the center over the entire height, with the gaps filled in; the fields have also been filled in and covered, as has the back, with an opaque juice (bottom right corner exposed). The original varnish has been completely removed, causing or accentuating wear to the polychrome foliage. Numerous repentirs and rehauts of the polychromy. The gold appears to be largely original, the varnish recent. Despite the aggressive cleaning and excessive retouching, this Nativity is nonetheless of interest for the rarity of pieces from this period and origin, and for the quality of the miniature, particularly in the expressiveness of the faces. 13.5 x 19 cm Expert: LYDIA MANIC Icons - Appraisals - Restorations 14 rue J.J Rousseau 75001 Paris