Adoration of the Shepards 1680 - 1737

Johann Daniel Preissler created this drawing, Adoration of the Shepherds, with pen and brown ink, and gray wash on paper. Produced in Germany, likely in the early 18th century, this drawing depicts a scene of humble reverence, yet it also reflects the social hierarchies inherent in religious art of the period. Preissler, coming from a family of artists, was part of a world in which artistic skill was carefully taught, preserved, and passed on through institutional structures like academies. The careful composition, with its focus on the Virgin and Child surrounded by adoring shepherds, reinforces the Church's teachings. Yet, note how the shepherds, though central to the narrative, are also clearly marked as figures of lower social standing through their dress and posture. By examining the artist's training, the patronage system, and theological influences, we can better understand the complex interplay of faith, art, and society in Preissler's time. To do this, we might look at church records, artists’ biographies, and even social histories of the period. Art always exists in a context, and it is the historian’s role to uncover that context and bring it to light.