Who painted The Adoration of the Shepherds?

The Adoration of the Shepherds was painted by Pieter van Lint in 1659.

Where can I see The Adoration of the Shepherds?

The Adoration of the Shepherds is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is The Adoration of the Shepherds?

The Adoration of the Shepherds is associated with Flemish Baroque painting.

Artwork

The Adoration of the Shepherds

Pieter van Lint , 1659

The Adoration of the Shepherds is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Pieter van Lint. It dates from 1659 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As the main subject, the work illustrates the moment shepherds arrive to worship the newborn Jesus, consistent with its classification as religious art.

The painting depicts the biblical narrative of the Adoration of the Shepherds, a religious scene centered on the Christ Child. As the main subject, the work illustrates the moment shepherds arrive to worship the newborn Jesus, consistent with its classification as religious art. The composition focuses on the infant figure, who serves as the focal point of the shepherds' veneration.

This subject matter aligns with the traditional iconography of the genre, emphasizing the humility and divine nature of the event through the interaction between the holy figures and the rustic visitors.

Technique & Style

Pieter van Lint executed The Adoration of the Shepherds as an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 117 cm in height and 193 cm in width. As a piece of religious art, the composition focuses on the depiction of the Christ Child within the narrative of the shepherds' adoration.

The application of oil paint on a textile support represents the standard medium for large-scale devotional imagery of this period.

History & Provenance

The Adoration of the Shepherds is a religious oil painting on canvas created by Pieter van Lint. Executed circa 1550–1570, it measures 1170 by 1930 centimeters and depicts the adoration of the Christ Child by shepherds. The work was commissioned as part of a religious composition and has been housed in the Statens Museum for Kunst since its acquisition, forming part of the museum's collection of European religious art.

The Adoration of the Shepherds by Pieter van Lint is held by the Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark, as recorded in the museum's collection data. The painting, executed in oil on canvas, is catalogued within the Statens Museum for Kunst holdings.

The work measures 117 cm in height and 193 cm in width. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.

Overview

Created circa 1659, The Adoration of the Shepherds is an oil on canvas by Flemish artist Pieter van Lint. Executed in the Baroque idiom that dominated 17th‑century Flanders, the work presents a nocturnal nativity scene in which the infant Christ occupies the visual centre of the composition.