The Adoration of the Shepherds
1532
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1532
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
The Adoration of the Shepherds is a 1532 ink by Giovanni Britto, a Renaissance work, depicting Adoration of the Shepherds, held at National Gallery of Art.
This woodcut shows Mary kneeling beside the baby Jesus while shepherds gather around. The scene glows with fine lines. A beam of light hits Jesus right in the face. Printmakers carved this in the 1530s using pear wood. They cut away everything except the lines they wanted, then inked the block and pressed it onto paper. One plate made dozens of prints. This rare signed impression survived in near-perfect condition. Look for Britto, Giovanni at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
