The adoration of the shepherds who gather at left, angels holding a banderole upper right 1700 - 1800

This etching, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, presents the adoration of the shepherds through a network of lines. The composition is divided into earthy and celestial realms, with the shepherds below and angels hovering above. The artist uses line and shading to create depth and texture. Notice how the density of the lines increases in the shadows, giving a sense of three-dimensionality to the figures and landscape. This technique also serves to direct our eyes to the central scene of the nativity. The artist's structural approach to this complex scene brings into question the established meanings, such as who is being adored and why. The adoration is not just an act of reverence but a moment of recognizing a shift in power dynamics. It invites us to rethink the relationships between the earthly and the divine.