Hyrdernes tilbedelse 1595 - 1596

"Hyrdernes tilbedelse" (Adoration of the Shepherds), a 1595-1596 etching by Dutch artist Jacob Matham, depicts the biblical scene of shepherds paying homage to the newborn Christ. The detailed composition, with its dramatic use of light and shadow, showcases Matham's mastery of the medium. The scene, set within a ruined classical structure, emphasizes the contrast between the sacred and the secular. This artwork, housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst, is a prime example of Northern Renaissance printmaking and serves as a powerful testament to the religious fervor of the era.