Nativity of the Lord (detail)Bonanno Pisano

This bronze panel from the Porta di San Ranieri (c. 1180) shows the Nativity in low relief. Mary reclines beside the manger while the infant lies beneath a curved shelter, with Joseph seated nearby. Above, shepherds and angels cluster on a rocky ridge, framed by the Latin inscription NATUS DNI (Birth of the Lord). Compressed figures and clear gestures reflect Romanesque concern for legible sacred narrative.