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WILLIAM AVERY FINE ART

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Item Details

The Nativity
Attributed to Lazarus van der Borcht (before 1575–after 1611)
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes…”
Luke 2:7
A finely detailed and intimate Nativity scene, likely intended for private devotion in the home, perhaps even used in the seasonal tradition of setting out manger scenes in the days before Christmas in 17th-century Flanders.
Painted on copper, the work achieves a remarkable delicacy of detail and clarity of light. At its centre, Mary and Joseph kneel in quiet reverence before the newborn Christ, while the familiar figures of the stable, a donkey and an ox, lean in gently, witnesses to the moment.
Beyond the humble shelter of the manger, the composition opens into a vast landscape. Armies move across fields and forests, seemingly unaware of the birth taking place. This contrast between worldly power and divine humility is central to the painting’s meaning. In the distance, a softly rendered city suggests Jerusalem, anchoring the scene within both history and prophecy.
Attributed to Lazarus van der Borcht, a painter active in Antwerp and recorded as a master in the Guild of St Luke in 1601, the work reflects the refined devotional painting of early 17th-century Flanders. Its scale, material, and execution speak to a work designed for close, personal contemplation.
Provenance: Private collection, Bonn, Rhineland
Medium: Oil on copper
Painted Surface: 29.8 × 21 cm (11.8 × 8.3 in)
Framed: 47.6 × 38.6 cm (18.8 × 15.2 in)

  • Period: 17th Century
    • Price: £12,500.00
    • €14,485 Euro
    • $17,011 US Dollar
  • Location: London