Artwork
The Annunciation to the Shepherds
The Annunciation to the Shepherds is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Livio Mehus. It dates from 1668 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1668 by Livio Mehus, a Flemish-born painter who spent his career in Italy, *The Annunciation to the Shepherds* is an oil on canvas work that belongs to the early Baroque period. The composition captures a nocturnal biblical episode, rendered with a strong contrast of light and shadow, and is presently part of the Statens Museum for Kunst’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates the moment when an angel appears to shepherds to announce the birth of Christ. A luminous figure hovers above a kneeling shepherd, while other ethereal presences—some winged— surround the group, emphasizing the divine message’s urgency and the shepherds’ astonishment at the supernatural visitation.
Technique & Style
Mehus employs a dramatic chiaroscuro, allowing bright illumination to emerge from deep darkness, thereby heightening the emotional intensity. The use of oil paint enables subtle gradations of tone, while the composition’s diagonal thrust and the floating angel create a sense of movement typical of early Baroque visual dynamism.
History & Provenance
Active mainly in Florence, Mehus served as court painter to Prince Mattias de’ Medici, producing numerous religious commissions. After remaining in private hands for centuries, the painting entered the collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Baroque holdings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lieven Mehus or Livio Mehus (1630, in Oudenaarde – 7 August 1691, in Florence) was a Flemish painter, draughtsman and engraver of the Baroque period, who trained and worked in Italy.
