The Stable in Bethlehem

Prints and Drawings

c. 1520–40

Jean de Gourmont
French, 1506-1551

For this Nativity scene Gourmont used the backdrop of a caved-in classical building to herald the dawning of a new era. Much grander even in ruins than an actual stable would have been at the time of Jesus’s birth, the setting emphasizes the contrast between the elaborate architecture of Antiquity and the humble beginnings of Christianity.

Only one documented painting and about thirty engravings testify to the extraordinary art of Jean de Gourmont. This, his most famous engraving, was completed during his visit to Lyons, and reveals the artist’s extraordinary command of perspective.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Prints and Drawings

Artist: Jean de Gourmont
Title: The Stable in Bethlehem
Place: France (Artist's nationality:)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1520–1540
Medium: Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions: Sheet, trimmed within platemark: 19.8 × 19.6 cm (7 13/16 × 7 3/4 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.
Reference Number: 1952.1205
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/78877/manifest.json

Leutrat JG2 I/II

Bartsch 1

Robert-Dumesnil 2

Le Blanc 2

Courboin 1654

Fonds Français 2

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