About this artwork
Here Francesco Fontebasso depicted the biblical story of the birth of Christ, pairing three astonished shepherds, who surround the Virgin and Child at center, with four angelic putti hovering above the humble manger. Joseph kneels in the right foreground.
An independent work, not related to a painting, the drawing is densely layered. Different colors of ink and wash delineate the figures’ garments and the manger’s rough walls and capture the effects of celestial light.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Francesco Fontebasso
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Title
- Adoration of the Shepherds
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Place
- Italy (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- 1750
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Medium
- Pen and brown ink and brush and black ink, with black and red ink washes, over black chalk, on ivory laid paper
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Dimensions
- 46.4 × 33.5 cm (18 5/16 × 13 1/4 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of Richard and Mary L. Gray
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Reference Number
- 2019.847
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/244914/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.