Riminese School, circa 1320 | The Nativity; Saint Christopher, Saint John the Baptist and a female saint

This small panel has much in common with the work of Pietro da Rimini (1280-1350), one of the most prominent early 14th-century painters influenced by Giotto, who had come to Rimini in the first years of the 14th century. The present panel may be usefully compared with the Death of the Virgin in the Musée Fabre, Montpellier (inv. no. 825.1.122), which is datable to circa 1320 and ascribed to Pietro da Rimini and his circle.¹ It is likewise very comparable to The Nativity, also now in the Musée Fabre (inv. no. 2004.1.1), sold at Sotheby's, New York, 22 January 2004, lot 19.²

^The painted reverse of the present work is similar to the back of a panel by Francesco da Rimini (fl. c. 1322-before 1348) in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin (inv. no. NGI.1022),³ which would also appear to confirm this painting's origin in a Riminese workshop.

We are grateful to Dr. Gaudenz Freuler for his help in the cataloguing of this lot.

¹ http://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/10092/Maestro%20di%20Santa%20Maria%20in%20Porto%20Fuori%2C%20Transito%20della%20Madonna

² https://www.wga.hu/html_m/p/pietro/rimini/nativity.html

³ http://onlinecollection.nationalgallery.ie/objects/335/the-crucifixion-noli-me-tangere