The Adoration of the Shepherds

Girolamo da Carpi was a Ferrarese painter who studied under Garofalo and was deeply influenced by Correggio and Parmigianino. This Adoration of the Shepherds from the mid-1530s reflects the elegant Mannerist style prevalent in Emilian courts. The nocturnal nativity scene follows a tradition popularized by Correggio's famous "La Notte" in nearby Parma, with the Christ Child serving as the painting's source of radiant light.

The oil-on-wood panel shows Girolamo's characteristic blend of Ferrarese draftsmanship with the sfumato modeling he absorbed from Correggio, creating soft transitions between light and shadow in the nocturnal illumination.