The Adoration of the Shepherds
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This print shows a night scene with a baby in a manger, surrounded by a woman and a man. Above them, angels float in the sky, glowing softly. Shepherds stand nearby, some pointing at the baby while others look up at the angels. The background has a cave, a few animals, and a dark landscape with a faint glow from the sky. The title at the bottom calls it *The Adoration of the Shepherds*, which hints this is a religious story about shepherds visiting the newborn Jesus. The lighting creates strong contrasts between light and dark, which is a common way to draw attention to important parts of the scene. Look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and shadow like this.
