Adoration of the Shepherds n.d.

François Boitard created this pen and brown ink drawing, “Adoration of the Shepherds,” in France, sometime between 1685 and 1715. This sketch depicts a traditional Christian scene, yet it also reflects the social hierarchy of the time. Note how Boitard places the holy figures, Mary and the infant Jesus, at the center, bathed in light, while the shepherds and angels surround them in a clear display of reverence. France at this time was deeply Catholic, and the Church played a central role in both public and private life. Religious institutions like the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture shaped artistic production. While the piece conveys religious piety, the artist's focus on the shepherds also brings a social dimension, subtly highlighting the importance of the common people in the narrative of Christianity. Understanding this work fully requires a grasp of the religious, social, and institutional context of early modern France. Research into the period’s religious practices and the role of the Académie Royale offers rich insights into the work’s meaning.