Nativity n.d.

Pompeo Ghitti rendered this drawing, Nativity, with pen and brown ink on paper. The scene is set in the late Renaissance, a period marked by significant religious and political tension. Consider the cultural framework in which Ghitti was working. The visual language of the Church was deeply entrenched in the popular imagination. Religious artworks served not just as objects of devotion but also as powerful tools for shaping beliefs and social norms. In this context, Ghitti grapples with traditional representations of the Nativity by including a more emotive rendition of the scene. Figures display genuine sentiment, a stark contrast to the often stoic and idealized depictions of religious figures. Ghitti seems to be inviting us to ponder the humanity inherent in this divine event, while also recognizing the very human emotions of awe, humility, and tenderness.