The Nativity at Night, painted by Geertgen tot Sint Jans around 1490, is an oil on oak panel depicting the Nativity of Jesus and the annunciation to the shepherds. The scene is set in a stable, with the Virgin Mary, angels, and Joseph gathered around the Christ Child. The work belongs to the late fifteenth century, a period when devotional images of the Nativity were common in the Northern Netherlands. In the composition, the infant Jesus lies in a manger at the center, radiating light that illuminates the faces of Mary and the surrounding angels.

The ox and donkey are visible behind the manger, while Joseph stands in shadow to the right. Angels kneel and pray, their expressions serene. In the background, an angel appears to shepherds on a hillside, announcing the birth.

The use of light and dark emphasizes the divine nature of the child, with the surrounding figures bathed in a gentle, supernatural glow. This painting is characteristic of devotional works produced in the Northern Renaissance, where artists such as Geertgen tot Sint Jans focused on intimate, detailed depictions of biblical events. The work dates to circa 1490 and is held in the Web Gallery of Art collection. The subject and treatment reflect the era’s interest in personal devotion and the depiction of sacred history with naturalistic detail.