THE NATIVITY ALTARPIECE

ICONOGRAPHY 

The only fragment conserved today must have been the centre relief of the altarpiece representing the Nativity/Adoration of Jesus whose missing figure would have stood at the centre of the scene. The figure of the Holy Virgin on the left is kneeling, as are all the other figures. Her hands are clasped together in adoration of the Holy Infant. The figure of Saint Joseph that has sadly lost its hands kneels in front of her. However, his right arm is raised higher than his left in exactly the same way as the figure appearing in Reiden's altarpiece. He appears to be sheltering the flame of a candle. The group is completed with the figure of the midwife who is showing the palms of her hands in admiration.

The scene takes place alongside a rather modest outhouse with a two-sided roof covered in vegetation. The heads of an ox and a mule are seen looking out of a window. To the rear, we can see rocky outcrops converging towards the upper left corner where what appear to be walled fortifications with towers, a small copse of trees and a few grazing cattle appear.