The Adoration of the Shepherds 1512 - 1527

L'Ortolano painted 'The Adoration of the Shepherds' with oil on panel in Ferrara, a Northern Italian city-state, sometime around 1520. The scene depicts the moment the shepherds arrive at the manger to worship the newborn Christ. The inclusion of the shepherds suggests the radical nature of Christ's message. He came for the poor and humble, not just the rich and powerful. We know that the church was an important patron for artists in Ferrara. Religious works reminded the public of Christian teachings but also served to legitimize the wealth and power of the church through the display of expensive materials. To understand a painting like this fully, we can look at church records from the period. We can also analyze the economic situation of Ferrara, the role of religious guilds, and the biographies of artists, all of which can give us a clearer picture of the social conditions that shaped the making and reception of such an artwork.