Artwork
Adoration of the Shepherds
Adoration of the Shepherds is a print by Cornelis Bloemaert. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Cornelis Bloemaert the Younger’s print titled *Adoration of the Shepherds* presents a bustling Nativity tableau on paper.
Cornelis Bloemaert the Younger’s print titled *Adoration of the Shepherds* presents a bustling Nativity tableau on paper. The image captures the infant Jesus in a manger, attended by shepherds, angels, and animals, all arranged beneath an architectural arch that opens onto a distant landscape. The composition is dense, with figures rendered in a manner that suggests depth despite the flat medium of print.
Subject & Meaning
The work illustrates the biblical episode in which humble shepherds come to honor the newborn Christ. Central to the scene is the infant, cradled by a woman, while shepherds kneel or stand in reverent poses, some gesturing toward the child. Angelic figures hover above, reinforcing the divine significance of the event, and the surrounding animals underscore the pastoral setting of the birth.
Technique & Style
Bloemaert employs a chiaroscuro approach, using graduated tones to model the figures and convey three‑dimensionality on a two‑dimensional surface. The print’s line work varies from fine hatching in shadowed areas to broader strokes in illuminated zones, creating a sense of volume. The crowded composition and careful handling of light reflect the artist’s skill in translating a painted model into an engraved form.
History & Provenance
The engraving is based on a composition formerly ascribed to Raphael and once belonged to the Mariette Collection. Subsequent scholarship corrected the attribution, identifying Bloemaert’s print as a reproduction of a painting whose authorship had been misidentified. The print thus serves as a documentary link between the original work and its later re‑evaluation within art historical records.
Context
Created in the 17th century, the print aligns with a broader European tradition of reproducing celebrated religious paintings for wider circulation. Bloemaert, known for his expertise in engraving, often rendered works by other masters, making such images accessible to collectors and devotional audiences beyond the reach of the original oil paintings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Cornelis Bloemaert II (1603 – 28 September 1692), was a Dutch painter and engraver, who after training in the Dutch Republic worked most of his career in Rome.
