The Birth of the Virgin

This triptych (a painting in three parts) shows the Virgin Mary just after her birth. Saint Anne, Mary's mother, props herself up in her bed while midwives and attendants make food and prepare a basin for washing. This scene was particularly popular in Siena, a city devoted to the Virgin Mary.

The artist has taken its overall design and various details - like the little boy announcing the news to Saint Joachim, Mary's father - from a famous Sienese altarpiece showing the same scene, which was made by Pietro Lorenzetti in the 1340s for Siena's cathedral.

The side panels, or wings, would have folded inwards to cover the central image. The triptych could then be transported safely and conveniently with its owner, providing a focus for prayer on their travels.

Credit: Bequeathed by Viscount Rothermere, 1940