Central Italy, late 13th century. State Library of South Australia, rbr 096 d++, fols. 5v–6 (cat no 28). Image courtesy of the State Library of South Australia.

This splendid manuscript contains the music and chants of the Office from Christmas to Epiphany, together with the feasts of the saints for Christmas week. The Nativity illustrates the responsory at Christmas matins, which begins: ’Hodie nobis caelorum rex de virgine nasci dignatus est ...’ (Today the king of heaven is born of a Virgin ...). Based on Byzantine tradition, the scene shows a reclining Mary and a swaddled Christ Child in a box-like manger attended by an ox and an ass. Above the mountainous landscape appear three angels. Below, the two midwives bathing the Christ Child and a seated pondering Joseph are based on legends popular both in Byzantium and Italy.