The Adoration of the Shepherds
El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)
ca. 1605–10 · Oil on canvas · European Paintings
El Greco’s late work is characterized by a tendency toward abstraction and almost dancelike, restless movement that animates the painted surface while also serving his narrative. Here, the shepherds’ lively gestures indicate their excitement at Christ’s birth. The nocturnal setting heightens an otherworldly palette. El Greco often made replicas or variants of important compositions; much like Claude Monet or Paul Cézanne, the artist used repetition to work through a theme, belying the notion of a singular original. No fewer than eight versions of this subject were in his studio at his death. This work repeats features of another painting he made for Juan de Ribera, an influential figure in the Roman Catholic church in Spain.
- Artist
- El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)
- Date
- ca. 1605–10
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Department
- European Paintings
- Credit line
- Rogers Fund, 1905
