Cretan: Nativity of Christ; Unidentified artist; Cretan; 15th century; Oil (and tempera?) with gold leaf on panel; This gold-ground panel was painted in Crete; a Greek island that was once part of the Byzantine Empire and a center of Orthodox Christianity. The scene depicts the joyous scene following the birth of Christ. The Christ child lies in a manger; looked over by an ox and a donkey; the Virgin Mary appears on the right; kneeling in veneration. To the left; a crowd of smiling angels hover with arms outstretched and hands covered; evoking the clergy handling consecrated bread and wine. Toward the bottom left; the three Magi; wearing gold crowns; approach with gifts. In the foreground we see Joseph; who sits; thinking; in the company of two standing figures: a shepherd and an older man in a dark fur coat who tried and failed to sow seeds of doubt regarding Christ's miraculous birth. The setting and figures derived from a Nativity fresco of ca. 1370-80 in the Peribleptos Church in Mystras; Greece.; Overall: 17 3/8 x 13 1/4 in. (44.1 x 33.7 cm)