Adoration of the Shepherds 1750 - 1800

"Adoration of the Shepherds" is a pen and brown ink drawing on paper by Italian artist Ubaldo Gandolfi, created between 1750 and 1800. The work depicts the biblical event of the shepherds' visit to the newborn Christ, with the Virgin Mary and Joseph flanking the baby, while angels look on. The drawing, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, demonstrates Gandolfi's masterful use of line and shading to convey both form and emotion. The sketch's delicate lines capture the figures' postures and expressions, adding a sense of intimacy and awe to this iconic Christian scene.