Jacopo da Ponte Bassano, 1510/15 – 1592, Schule des

THE PROCLAMATION TO THE SHEPHERDS Oil on canvas. Doubled. 96.5 x 118 cm. In this nocturnal depiction, the shepherds and their animals can be seen in the foreground, including sheep, a cow with calf, a donkey and a resting dog in the lower center of the painting. The lower composition is in the form of a semicircle, with a figure standing higher at the edge, a shepherd bending down over a wooden trough in the middle and a seated figure in each corner. A stable and a mountainous landscape with cypresses and deciduous trees can be seen in the shadowy background. In the upper center of the picture, the sky opens up to a yellowish hue and a winged angel announces the birth of Jesus to the shepherds with outstretched arms. Painting with a strong contrast between light and dark, very much in the style of the aforementioned artist and his school. (1400844) (18)