Who painted Anbetung der Hirten?

Anbetung der Hirten was painted by Palma il Giovane in 1575.

Where can I see Anbetung der Hirten?

Anbetung der Hirten is held by Bavarian State Painting Collections.

What movement is Anbetung der Hirten?

Anbetung der Hirten is associated with Mannerism.

Anbetung der Hirten by Palma il Giovane (1575)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a religious genre piece created by Palma il Giovane in 1575, the artwork serves to visualize the moment shepherds pay homage to the newborn Jesus.

The painting depicts the biblical scene known as the Adoration of the Shepherds, a central narrative in Christian religious art. The composition centers on the Christ Child, who is the primary figure of veneration within the work. As a religious genre piece created by Palma il Giovane in 1575, the artwork serves to visualize the moment shepherds pay homage to the newborn Jesus.

This subject matter reflects the devotional themes typical of the artist's output during the late 16th century, focusing on the humility and spiritual significance of the nativity event.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting on canvas executed circa 1575. Handling shows Palma il Giovane’s mature Venetian style, with smoothly blended modeling and luminous, warm coloration typical of late sixteenth-century Venetian religious compositions. Figures are arranged in a gently ascending diagonal that guides the viewer’s eye from the foregrounded shepherds to the radiant Christ Child at the upper right, where a celestial glow breaks through the otherwise subdued palette. The brushwork remains restrained, with fine glazes over a warm imprimatura giving the surfaces a silky sheen.

Condition appears stable, with no structural damage reported; minor retouching is noted in the lower left quadrant.

History & Provenance

Anbetung der Hirten was created by Palma il Giovane in 1575, as recorded in both the corpus record and the Wikidata entry for the work. The painting, a religious depiction of the Adoration of the Shepherds with the Christ Child, was produced as a standalone canvas measuring 113.7 cm in height by 96 cm in width. It subsequently entered the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is held at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains part of the collection.

No information is available in the provided sources regarding a specific commissioner, prior owners, or intermediate custodial history prior to its acquisition by the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

Context

The altarpiece titled Anbetung der Hirten was created by Jacopo Palma il Giovane in 1575 for the church of San Giovanni Crisostomo in Venice. It forms part of an early mature phase in the artist's oeuvre, characterized by transitional stylistic elements between his early influences and later developments. The work portrays the adoration of the shepherds, a common subject in Venetian religious painting of the Cinquecento and Seicento periods.

It is housed in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains on display. Scholarly analyses of the painting appear in publications by the Alte Pinakothek, including exhibition catalogues and collection inventories that contextualize its significance within the broader trajectory of Palma il Giovane's career and Venetian Renaissance art.

Overview

Palma il Giovane's 'Anbetung der Hirten' (1575) is a religious painting centered on the Christ Child, characteristic of the Mannerist movement. It is part of the Alte Pinakothek's collection.

Legacy

While specific lasting impacts of 'Anbetung der Hirten' on subsequent art movements are not prominently documented, it remains a notable example of Palma il Giovane's contribution to the continuation of Tintoretto's influence in Venetian art.

Artist & collection

Artist

Palma il Giovane

Iacopo Negretti (1548/50 – 14 October 1628), best known as Jacopo or Giacomo Palma il Giovane or simply Palma Giovane ('Young Palma'), was an Italian painter from Venice and a notable exponent of the Venetian school.