Food for the Soul: Adoration of the Shepherds

Domenico Ghirlandaio. The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1483-1485. Oil on panel. Basilica Santa Trinita, Florence. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

By Nina Heyn – Your Culture Scout

In Christian iconography, the joy of the birth of Jesus is often celebrated in a theme of “Journey of the Magi” but also as “Adoration of the Shepherds.” While the “Magi” images allowed artists and their affluent patrons to show off the splendor of decoration, using gold-ground or painted jewels (sometimes even adding incrustation with actual jewels), the theme of “shepherds” was aimed at bringing religion closer to the lives of poorer folk.

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