Nativity with Saint George and Saint Vincent Ferrer

We find ourselves in front of a painting, tempera on panel, by Filippo Lippi, dating from 1455 to 1466. It is about 159 centimetres tall and about 168 centimetres long.
Although it is traditionally referred to as depicting the Nativity, it would be more appropriate to view it as an adoration of the Child Jesus since the characters are gathered in prayer.
In the lower part of the centre, we find the Child, with, on the sides, the Virgin Mary, kneeling on the left, and Saint Joseph, sitting on the right. To the left of the painting, Saint George stands in adoration, also with his hands joined. He wears an armour and a white flag with a red cross. To the right of the painting, instead, saint Vincent Ferrer, in white habit and black cloak, looks toward Christ within an “acorn” of light. His beatification, in fact, took place precisely in 1455. This is the year in which the work was carried out and in which the Blessed became an important reference for the Dominican culture in the fight against heresy and in the defence of the Church. The arrangement of the main figures forms a sort of inverted pyramid, with the point of convergence being the child, the centre of the artwork.
Furthermore, two shepherds, seated on a rock, are depicted behind them playing the horn and the bagpipes. In the background, high in the sky, a crown of angels pray in adoration.
The artwork was not entirely made by Filippo Lippi, in fact the name of his pupil Fra' Diamante as well as other collaborators were also suggested.