And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Luke 2: 15-18

Our painting, which we consider to the be the work of an artist active in Emilia during the 16th Century, records the moment when Christ’s birth first became known to the wider world.

The painting tells the story in two scenes. In the upper right of the panel, the angel of the Lord comes upon the shepherds as they keep watch over their flock by night, telling them of the birth of a Saviour.

The main part of the panel shows the Shepherds (and their wives), having arrived at the manger to see the Saviour. They bow and kneel before the make-shift crib, as Mary, to the right, prays to her son and the son of God. Behind them another Shepherd lifts his arms in praise and awe, as Joseph leans on his arm, tired from the events of the day.

The Adoration of the Shepherds, together with the Adoration of the Magi, are important twin subjects in the Christian artistic tradition: the Shepherds are the first Jews to whom Christ is revealed, and the Magi the first Gentiles; together they represent Christ’s revelation to the entire world.

This painting is executed on a single cut of wood, remarkable for one of this size.

Provenance: Private Milanese Collection