Lines and Colors art blog

The Adoration of the Shepherds, Andrea Mantegna

The Adoration of the Shepherds, Andrea Mantegna
The Adoration of the Shepherds, Andrea Mantegna.

In the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Click “Fullscreen” under the image and use zoom controls or download arrow.

Painted in the mid 15th century, this astonishingly sculptural Nativity scene is a marvel of details and textures, from the craggy face of a weary Joseph and the grotesque face of the foreground shepherd, to the wonderfully geometrical rocks, banks and cliffs that form the setting.

The deep and richly detailed background is filled with marvelous landscape elements; multiple scenes unfold on the roads, hills, waterway and cliffside.

Even the multitude of pebbles throughout the image are rendered with loving detail.

Wonderful.


Comments

3 responses to “The Adoration of the Shepherds, Andrea Mantegna”

  1. Looking forward to the day when the National Gallery of Art enlarges one of my own favorites among the Italian Renaissance nativities:

    http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/timage_f?object=432&image=1403&c=gg16

    The fact that the NGA refers to this current depiction as “full screen” makes me want to ask, “Really? On what hand-held device?”

    But perhaps nudged by Google and others, one day these tiny images my be obsolete.

    1. I agree, Daniel. I would love to see the NGA’s website brought up to date with high res images. In the meanwhile, you’re in luck with the Giorgione, courtesy of Google Art Project.