Artwork
Copy after the Nativity of the Virgin, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after the Nativity of the Virgin, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence) is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Domenico Ghirlandaio. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The watercolor presents a domestic interior taken from the Nativity of the Virgin narrative.
About this work
Overview
The watercolor presents a domestic interior taken from the Nativity of the Virgin narrative. Central to the composition is a seated woman cradling an infant, identified as the newborn Mary, while her mother reclines on a nearby bed. To the left, two women with halos embrace on a staircase, and the surrounding space is framed by frescoed walls and elaborately carved columns.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates the early life of the Virgin, emphasizing maternal care and the sanctity of the birth. The inclusion of haloed figures underscores the holy status of the participants, while the intimate setting conveys a sense of familial devotion that aligns with devotional practices of the late 15th century.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolor, the work reproduces the color palette and soft modeling of Ghirlandaio’s original fresco. The medium allows for luminous washes and delicate edges, giving the image a sketch‑like quality while retaining the bright hues and decorative details of the source composition.
History & Provenance
The piece is a later copy of Domenico Ghirlandaio’s fresco in the Tornabuoni Chapel of Santa Maria Novella, Florence. It first appeared as a chromolithograph in an 1895 publication by Wilhelm Greve for the Arundel Society, and was later acquired from the National Gallery, London, in 1995.
Context
Ghirlandaio’s frescoes in the Tornabuoni Chapel were commissioned by the powerful Tornabuoni family and exemplify the Florentine Renaissance’s integration of religious narrative with opulent domestic settings. This watercolor reflects the 19th‑century interest in reproducing Renaissance masterpieces for scholarly and educational purposes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Domenico di Tommaso Curradi di Doffo Bigordi (2 June 1448 – 11 January 1494), professionally known as Domenico Ghirlandaio (also spelt as Ghirlandajo), was an Italian Renaissance painter born in Florence.
Copy after the Marriage of the Virgin, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after Zacharias writes down the name of his Son, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Watercolour, copy after The Visitation, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after the Birth of St John the Baptist, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after the Presentation of the Virgin in the temple, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after the Preaching of St. John the Baptist, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after The Expulsion of Joachim from the Temple, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after The Angel Appearing to Zacharias, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after the Death of St Francis, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Sassetti Chapel, Chiesa di Santa Trinita (Florence)
Copy after Calling of the Apostoles, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican (Rome)
Copy after The Last Supper, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Chiesa di Ognissanti (Florence)
copy after the Burial of Santa Fina, Domenico Ghirlandaio in Collegiata, San Gimignano (Siena)