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El Greco's nativity scenes were very popular throughout his career, and six were listed in the 1621 inventory of his son Jorge Manuel's possessions. This explains how this painting came to be separated from the rest of the altarpiece, as it was possibly the most popular subject. A smaller copy of this painting painted in 1598 is in the collection of the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.In 1581 Philip III of Spain granted land for the building of this chapter of nuns of the Order of St. Augustine, which was named after its commissioner, Dona Maria de Aragón, a lady-in-waiting to the queen, Dona Ana de Austria. She negotiated initial delivery of the altarpiece in 1596, but died sometime before payment in September of 1600. El Greco had promised delivery by Easter 1599, but only delivered in July 1600, whereupon it was appraised by Dona Maria de Aragón's executors in August 1600. The altarpiece was intact until 1808, but after deconstruction it was no longer on show there and on 17 August 1836 Baron Taylor purchased it for King Louis Philippe, at whose sale 21 May 1853, lot number #108, it subsequently went to the brothers Émile Péreire (1800-1875) and Isaac Péreire (1806-1880), Paris; from their sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 30–31 January 1868, lot number 31, it went to Félix Bamberg, consul of Messina, at whose sale in 1879, it was purchased for the Royal Palace, Sinaia.
El Greco King Louis Philippe Royal Palace, Sinaia Philip III of Spain Émile Péreire Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica Baron Taylor Dona Ana de Austria Félix Bamberg