Adoration of the Shepherds Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610)

Description of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s The Adoration of the Shepherds

Throughout his life, the artist sought answers in biblical subjects. Bouts of anger and intemperance repeatedly played a sad role in his wanderings and hard life. The older the artist grew, the more he looked toward the Holy Scriptures. Many of the subjects of his paintings were taken from biblical texts. He carried out commissions for the Contarelli and Cerasi Chapels in Rome and the Church of Santa Maria in Vallicella. The artist’s skill was also recognized by his contemporaries.

One of the first artists used a sharp contrast of light and shadow in his works. The master practically did not make sketches, preferring to work directly on the canvas. Perhaps that’s why, looking at Caravaggio’s paintings, one gets the impression of being immersed in a special, living world. It seems that the energy of the painting allows you not only to see the colors, but to feel the smells and even hear the sounds.

"The Adoration of the Magi" was commissioned for the church of Santa Maria della Concegione, based on the biblical story of the birth of Christ. It is one of his last paintings, painted a year before his death. The figures of Mary with the child and the kneeling shepherds breathe with light and quiet joy. The golden ray of sunlight illuminates the hands and face of Mary, the figure of the baby. A sense of spiritual warmth fills the room, highlights every detail. Amazing equilibrium of the composition creates the effect of presence at this joyous event. Masterful use of color contrasts takes into the background all the mundane and unnecessary, leaving highlighted the most important and eternal - the mother, the child, the higher purpose.