Birth and Marriage of Mary

The first panel rpresents Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an event associated with a liturgical feast of the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church–and therefore particularly important–held on September 8.

According to the tradition handed down by the Gospel of James, one of the apocryphal gospels, Mary was born to Joachiim and Anne in Nazareth, a town of Galilee.

In farming tradition, the anniversary of the birth of Mary coincides with the end of summer and harvest time.

According to ancient tradition, on January 23, the anniversary of the Marriage between Mary and Saint Joseph is remembered, while the liturgical origins of this feast are attributed to the beginning of the 15th century.

This event has long been the subject of artistic masterpieces.

The two panel are attribuited to the German artist Corrado de Mochis, made around the first half of the 16th century, while references to the images date back to the style of the late da Vinci period suggesting they were produced in Lombardy.

Read more on Milan Cathedral Remixed.