Aanbidding der herders 1708 - 1767

Johann Elias Ridinger created this print, "Adoration of the Shepherds," sometime in the 18th century using etching and engraving techniques. In it, we see the newborn Christ child worshipped by Mary, Joseph, and several shepherds, with angels looking on from above. Prints such as these had a vital role in shaping religious culture at the time. The protestant reformation had changed the kinds of images that were acceptable in churches and homes. While grand alter pieces were out of favor, smaller prints that could be widely distributed provided a new way to contemplate biblical stories. Ridinger was working in Augsburg, Germany, a place with a strong printmaking tradition. His images would have been informed by local protestant theology, reflecting a personal relationship to God through carefully mediated and controlled forms. By researching these visual codes and the socio-religious history of Augsburg, we can come to better understand the public role of art in the 1700s.