Artwork
Adoration of the Christ Child
Adoration of the Christ Child is a paint painting by the High Renaissance artist Piero di Cosimo. It dates from 1510 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Piero di Cosimo’s Adoration of the Christ Child (c. 1510) is an oil painting that resides in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie. The work presents a quiet devotional scene in which a kneeling woman, a standing male figure, and a shepherd with a lamb gather around the infant Jesus, set against a modest countryside backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates the biblical moment of the newborn Christ being venerated by humble figures. The woman’s tender gaze and the shepherd’s attentive posture emphasize themes of reverence and the universality of Christ’s appeal, extending from the domestic sphere to the pastoral world.
Technique & Style
Di Cosimo employs chiaroscuro to model the figures, contrasting illuminated flesh tones with deeper shadows that recede into the landscape. This handling of light creates a three‑dimensional presence, guiding the eye toward the central infant while imparting a subtle atmospheric depth to the surrounding hills and village.
History & Provenance
Painted around 1510, the piece entered the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, where it remains on display. Its attribution to Piero di Cosimo aligns with the artist’s late‑Renaissance output, reflecting his continued interest in religious subjects and narrative intimacy.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Piero di Cosimo, also known as Piero di Lorenzo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, who continued to use an essentially Early Renaissance style into the 16th century.
