Annunciation to the Shepherds
Jacopo Bassano·c. 1710
Historical Context
This Annunciation to the Shepherds after Jacopo Bassano was painted around 1710, reflecting the enduring popularity of Bassano's pastoral compositions well into the eighteenth century. Jacopo Bassano's innovative treatment of biblical scenes as rural genre paintings, populated with convincingly rendered livestock and peasant figures, created a pictorial type that was widely copied. His nocturnal lighting effects and rustic naturalism anticipated important developments in Baroque painting.
Technical Analysis
The oil on canvas reproduces Bassano's characteristic nocturnal lighting with the shepherds illuminated by the angelic glow against a dark landscape. The careful rendering of livestock and the warm, earthy palette demonstrate the continued appeal of the Bassanesque pastoral tradition.
Provenance
Jacques Goudstikker, Amsterdam, by 1926 [Goudstikker stock no. 1528, based on label on reverse; exhibited Rotterdam 1926]; sold to Charles H. and Mary F. S. Worcester, 1935, as Jacopo Bassano; given to the Art Institute, 1935.
