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Italian, Florentine, 'The Adoration of the Shepherds', about 1600

About the work

The glowing Christ Child lies in a manger in a dark and dilapidated stable. The Virgin Mary kneels on the right beside Saint Joseph. Two angels hover in the darkness behind and three shepherds peer at the baby; the one in the foreground carries a lamb by its feet.

The night sky above has opened to reveal a host of cherubs, one of whom holds a banner with the Latin words ‘GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO’ (‘Glory be to God in the highest’).

This small painting was previously attributed to Scarsellino (about 1550–1620), an artist who worked in Ferrara, and was later thought to be North Italian. Recent cleaning has revealed the delicacy of the brushwork (especially evident in the starlit sky and the foremost shepherd’s fur trim and pouch), which is enhanced by the smooth copper on which this picture is painted. The bright colour range unveiled by the cleaning suggests it was painted in Florence at the beginning of the seventeenth century.

Key facts

Full title
The Adoration of the Shepherds
Artist
Italian, Florentine
Date made
about 1600
Medium and support
oil on copper
Dimensions
31.4 × 24.7 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought, 1860
Inventory number
NG1887
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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