Aanbidding door de herders 1708 - 1762

Paul Troger created this small etching, "Adoration of the Shepherds", in the 18th century, but the exact date is unknown. It depicts a biblical scene central to the Christian faith. The image uses visual cues recognizable to its audience. For example, the humble shepherds, common folk from rural society, pay homage to the newborn Jesus. Troger was from present-day Austria, a region that was then part of the Holy Roman Empire. The Catholic Church was a major political and cultural force, commissioning countless works of art. Religious images were not just about devotion, they reinforced social hierarchies. The Church encouraged the belief that everyone had a role to play, from the lowliest shepherd to the most powerful ruler. Artists like Troger were part of this system. To understand this image further, we can look into the Church's patronage networks and the social role of artists in the Austrian Baroque period. Only by considering the social and institutional context can we start to grasp the meanings embedded in this etching.