Adoration of the Shepherds c. 1700

Pietro da Cortona made this drawing, Adoration of the Shepherds, using graphite. Painted during the Baroque era in Italy, this drawing allows us to consider the relationship between the Catholic Church and artistic production. In the 17th Century, The Catholic Church was a major patron of the arts. As such, artists, like Cortona, were commissioned to create works of art to promote the Church's message and grandeur. The Church dictated much of the content of artworks and the creation of this drawing was likely intended to inspire religious devotion. Cortona's scene of adoration echoes the Church's teaching about the divinity of Jesus and the humility of those who recognized him. A deeper understanding of this work requires research into the patronage system of the time, and an analysis of the ways that the Catholic Church deployed art to reinforce its power. Historians study surviving letters, contracts, and institutional records to uncover the complex relationship between artists and their patrons. Ultimately, this work is best understood as a product of its time and its culture.