Description
Spanish or Italian school; second third of the 16th century. "The adoration of the shepherds". Oil on panel. Cradled. Presents faults, losses and Repainting. It has damages caused by xylophagous. Measurements: 181 x 121 cm; 210 x 145 cm (frame). This Adoration of the Shepherds is represented in front of a classic ruin sublimated with a palette of tones of great expressiveness that reveal the scenographic taste of the Italian school. The characters are crowded in the foreground around the Child Jesus, who occupies a central place. The gestural emphasis and the clothing individualize each figure, giving them all personality. The influence of the Italian school can be appreciated in their characterizations and elegance of bearing, as well as in the exquisite treatment of the fabrics. Also typical of his workshop were the rich and varied shades of gray and blue of the landscape in contrast with the warm shades of the clothing. As for the iconography, we are in front of a scene from The Adoration of the Shepherds, the representation of this biblical scene from the Gospel of Luke began to take shape in European art from the twelfth century, coinciding with the emergence of some ascetic movements promoted by monks and laymen who defended a more human Christ, extolled poverty and criticized the opulence of the clergy. From then on it enjoyed great popularity among artists because it allowed them to show their mastery in the treatment of light, as we see in this piece. We find, then, a scene of adoration in a place where classical architectural forms are observed, it is not a stable of straw and wood as was observed in earlier times. The theme of the Adoration of the Shepherds, referred to in the Bible, has great importance in art because it is the first moment in which Christ reveals his divinity to the world. The iconography of this panel is the usual one of the time: certain details of Flemish influence (care in the qualities of the clothes, the richness of the characters, their physical features, the coloring...) together with others that have been maintained from the local Spanish tradition. It is worth mentioning the treatment of color, with a palette of bright colors that only darken in the final shots. Due to the technical characteristics, such as the modeling of the forms, the tonalities used, the type of composition, and even the aesthetic details used in the treatment of the fabrics that make up the scene, this work can be inscribed within the mannerist school. In fact, a very characteristic feature of this school is the anatomical elongation, which can be seen especially in the configuration of the Virgin's face and the Child's body. It presents faults, losses and Repainting. It has damages caused by xylophagous.
128
Spanish or Italian school; second third of the 16th century.
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