Artwork
Les Festes du mois de Decembre (December: The Nativity)
Les Festes du mois de Decembre (December: The Nativity) is an ink print by the Baroque artist Léonard Gaultier. It dates from 1603 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Les Festes du mois de Decembre (December: The Nativity) is a 1603 engraving by Léonard Gaultier, measuring 19 × 12.9 cm (plate) and 29 × 20.4 cm (sheet), executed on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving depicts a serene Nativity scene set in a humble stable. Central figures include Mary kneeling beside the infant Jesus, Joseph standing alongside, and shepherds observing from the left, conveying a moment of reverence and wonder.
Technique & Style
Gaultier employed cross-hatching to achieve depth and dimensionality. Intricate details are rendered through finely cut lines on metal, carefully balancing shadows and light to create a precise, contemplative atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Created in 1603, specific provenance details are not provided in the available information.
Context
As a 17th-century engraving, it reflects the religious themes common during the period, while its technical precision highlights Gaultier's skill within the engraving tradition.
Legacy
The engraving's impact or influence on subsequent artistic works is not specified in the provided details.
Artist & collection
Artist
Léonard Gaultier, or, as he sometimes signed himself, Galter, a French engraver, was born at Mainz about 1561, and died in Paris in 1641.
Les Festes du mois de Septembre (September: Birth of the Virgin)
Les Feste du mois de Janvier (January: the Circumcision)
Les Festes du mois de Juillet (July: The Visitation)
Les Festes du mois de Feburier (February: the Purification of the Virgin)
Les Festes du mois d'Aoust (August: The Assumption)
Les Festes du mois de Juin (June: The Pentecost)
Les Festes du mois de November (November: All Saints)