Rossetti cast The Nativity in vibrant reds and golds to evoke richness and royalty. This Nativity scene features several angels, who encircle the frame and nearly crowd out the other figures. They are dressed in draping gowns from to the Victorian Era. Both Christ and the dove, representing the Holy Spirit, have golden halos, a common religious icon denoting divinity.

The Nativity is the central panel in a triptych by 19th-century English painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti. This triptych is titled The Seed of David: the left panel depicts David as a shepherd, the right panel shows David as king. Shown here, the middle panel depicts both David as shepherd (middle center) and David as king (bottom center, in red) worshiping King Jesus, who is both Shepherd and King.

To accompany The Seed of David, Rossetti wrote: