Unknown painter
Antwerp (Belgium)
1535
Oil paint on wood
57.3 x 91.3 cm
This is a typical example of the domestic altarpieces produced in large numbers in the busy workshops of Antwerp. However, two elements are unusual: the presence of a date (on the column, above the Virgin) and the prominence of the shepherds and midwives. These indicate the work might be a specific commission rather than made for the open market.