A serene Early Renaissance depiction of the Nativity, featuring the Virgin Mary, the infant Jesus, and a group of musical angels.

Piero della Francesca painted this Nativity during the latter part of his career. The composition displays the artist's characteristic interest in mathematical perspective and light. The scene depicts the Virgin Mary kneeling before the infant Jesus, who lies on the ground, while a group of angels stands to the left playing lutes. Behind them, Joseph sits on a simple stool, accompanied by two shepherds. The architecture of the shed is deliberately rustic, contrasting with the distant, carefully rendered townscape visible on the right.

The painting is notable for its cool, clear light, which illuminates the figures and the landscape with equal precision. Piero della Francesca was a master of geometry, and this work demonstrates his ability to integrate human figures into a structured, rational space. The colour palette is restrained, relying on soft blues, earthy browns, and the pale tones of the figures' skin. The inclusion of a magpie perched on the roof of the shed is a specific detail that adds a sense of naturalism to the otherwise formal arrangement.

This work is currently held in the National Gallery, London. It reflects the artist's training in Florence and his subsequent work in various Italian courts, where he developed a style that prioritised clarity and order. The figures possess a sculptural quality, their forms defined by the fall of light rather than heavy outlines. The composition is balanced, with the verticality of the shed and the figures providing a stable framework for the narrative. It remains a primary example of the Quattrocento approach to religious iconography, where theological subjects are presented with a calm, analytical detachment.