The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds
1634
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This print shows a dark night scene split in two. On the left, a robed figure stands under a bright glow, pointing upward at a crowd of winged shapes in the sky. On the right, a group of people huddle near sheep in a rocky, shadowy landscape, lit only by a faint fire. The bright light on the left contrasts sharply with the dark right side, creating a strong sense of light and shadow. This effect was a key trick in Baroque art. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how artists used light and dark like this.
