A Sienese painter, sculptor, archaeologist, engineer, architect, and writer, Franceso di Giorgio exemplifies the versatile court artist of the late fifteenth century. The Nativity was likely painted after Francesco had come into contact with the miniatures of Girolamo da Cremona and the Florentine altarpieces of Fra Filippo Lippi. The work contains an intimacy that is characteristic of his sketches, as the Virgin bends over her child with parted lips and Joseph rests his weary head upon his hand.