Italian school; first half of the 17th century.

Italian school; first half of the 17th century.
"Adoration of the shepherds".
Oil on copper.
Measurements: 23,5 x 30,5 cm; 36 x 44 cm (frame).
In this copper is represented a classic theme in the History of Art, that of the shepherds adoring the newborn Baby Jesus in the portal of Bethlehem. It is a scene that lends itself to be interpreted as a large composition with numerous characters, worked in a costumbrista key. This theme was not alien to Francesco Bassano "the young" of whom we know the Adoration of the Magi that belongs to the collection of the Prado Museum in Madrid. It is true that both images have a slight thematic variation and compositional differences, in fact, the present work has a more landscape format that allows a greater number of characters in the scene. However, in both images we can appreciate a taste for the monumentality of the figures, a tonality of dark colors on which stand out red and green colors that contribute a great expressiveness to the scene, besides in some cases the postures of the characters are too similar, as for example the shepherd who is on his back and kneeling, or for example in the way in which the Virgin and St. Joseph are arranged, who is relegated behind Mary. In addition, it is possible to appreciate in both paintings a taste for the architectural. In addition, another very common resource in Francesco's paintings is the descriptive appearance of numerous animals.
Francesco Bassano, son of the master Jacopo Bassano, was the most prolific of all his brothers, also dedicated to painting. He began his training at his father's hand, and together with his brothers worked in the family workshop, which had a great recognition and whose production was very prolific. However, unlike his brothers, Francesco the Younger managed to achieve great personal recognition for his painting, as he managed to move away from his father's style and to implant his ideas in the Bassano workshop, besides being the only one to collaborate in his father's works in an independent way, taking charge of specific areas where his fine brushstroke was required, which was far from his father's way of doing things. In 1579 he moved to Venice, and in 1587 he visited Florence, where he worked for a season. Thanks to his work he achieved great success in Rome, Florence, Venice and Spain, whose court especially valued his paintings.

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