Aanbidding door de herders 1717 - 1763

Curator: Welcome, everyone. We're standing before "Adoration of the Shepherds," an etching made sometime between 1717 and 1763 by Pietro Monaco, currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. It’s a really fascinating example of Baroque printmaking. Editor: The first thing that hits me is how dynamic the composition is. All these figures swirling around the baby Jesus—it feels like a whispered secret unfolding right before our eyes. It is old school and the technique kinda adds to the magic if you ask me... Curator: Absolutely, the drama is heightened by the heavy use of light and shadow. The strong contrasts were central to Baroque aesthetics. I’m also struck by the positioning of this work, its creation after an original drawing by Giobatta Tiepolo and made available as a print for wider consumption, broadening Tiepolo's influence. Editor: It’s like Tiepolo’s vision, filtered and democratized through Monaco's skill! And you feel the humanity, right? It is not overly idealized. Those shepherds look genuinely awestruck. The everyday intruding upon the divine. Curator: Yes, there's definitely a sense of the earthly mingling with the sacred. The setting feels rustic, intimate. You know, art historians often discuss how Baroque art served the Counter-Reformation, emphasizing piety and emotional engagement. Works such as this invited viewers to imagine themselves within the biblical narrative. Editor: And think about it: even centuries later, looking at it here at the museum, that invitation to witness the wonder still works its magic. It brings up an unexpected emotion in such a chaotic, well, baroque world as it were... Curator: Well put! I’m so glad we’ve had the opportunity to reflect on this important piece. Editor: Likewise, and if it's any consolation, looking at it makes the story almost worth believing.