Giulio Romano (1499?–1546), Giorgio Ghisi (1520–1582) — Allegory of the Nativity (1558), Copperplate engraving (Renaissance, Antiquity)

Dimensions: 26 cm × 42 cm (sheet, trimmed)
Dimensions with frame: 52 × 37 cm
Copperplate engraving
Giorgio Ghisi (1520–1582)
after Giulio Romano (1499?–1546)
“Allegory of the Nativity,” 1558
A rare and highly decorative copperplate engraving by Giorgio Ghisi, one of the most outstanding Italian engravers of the 16th century, based on a composition by Giulio Romano, a pupil of Raphael and a leading representative of Italian Mannerism.
The work depicts an allegorical Nativity scene in which classical elegance of form meets spiritual symbolism. The central part of the composition features a woman receiving a newborn child, surrounded by cherubs and allegorical deities. In the background, one can see a figure in contemplation and a landscape illuminated by divine light—a motif typical of Renaissance depictions of the Nativity and divine revelation.
The engraving is characterized by exquisite chiaroscuro and extraordinary precision of line, evident in the drapery, figures, and ornamentation. This is a classic example of the virtuosity of Ghisi’s craft—an engraver whose works combined scholarly perfectionism with a poetic mood.
Condition as shown in the photos.
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Giorgio Ghisi (1520 – December 15, 1582) was an Italian engraver from Mantua who also worked in Antwerp and France. He created both engravings and Damascene metalwork, though only two surviving examples of the latter are known. He worked in the late Mannerist style. Ghisi was a reproductive engraver—he based his works on paintings by other artists, though he often designed the backgrounds with landscapes of his own invention and added lush vegetation. Although he carried out most of his work outside of Italy, he almost always drew inspiration from the works of Italian artists. He was a member of the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke as a copperplate engraver.