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The Adoration of the Shepherds

Andrea Lilio

1605

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Allegory

Dominant colour

The Adoration of the Shepherds is a 1605 ink by Andrea Lilio, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Andrea Lilio
When & what style?: 1605 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a crowded night scene with a group of people gathered around a woman holding a baby. The figures are drawn with quick, rough lines and some shading, giving them a lively but unfinished look. Trees and buildings in the background are also drawn in the same loose, sketchy style. The artist used lots of overlapping lines to build up shadows and shapes, which makes the figures pop against the light paper. This kind of drawing was likely a study or a quick idea before a bigger painting. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists use lines to create depth.