The Bible In Paintings: SHEPHERDS, FIRST TO SEE THE SAVIOR, Part 1

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Bible In Paintings 2
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR APPRECIATING AND APPLYING GOD'S WORD

SHEPHERDS,
FIRST TO SEE
THE SAVIOR

L U K E
CHAPTER 2

She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men
on whom his favor rests.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, GLORIFYING AND PRAISING GOD for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

1
CAMILLO FILIPPI
"Adoration of the Shepherds"
Typical title

2
FRANCESCO FONTEBASSO

3
ANTON RAPHAEL MENGS

4
GIUSEPPE BARTOLOMEO CHIARI

5
ALESSANDRO TURCHI

6
PIETRO TESTA
Source

7
BERNARDO STROZZI

8
GEORGES DE LA TOUR
Source

9
BARTOLOME ESTEBAN MURILLO
Source

10
JOHANN HEISS
Source

11
PETER PAUL RUBENS
Source

12
PETER PAUL RUBENS
Source

13
MATTHIAS STOMER
Source

14
MATTHIAS STOMER
Source

15
GUIDO RENI
Source

16
GUIDO RENI
Source

17
GUIDO RENI
Source

18
Detail

19
GUIDO RENI
Source

20
LUIS DE MORALES
Source

21
ABRAHAM BLOEMAERT
Source

22
GERRIT VAN HONTHORST
Source

23
GERRIT VAN HONTHORST
Source

24
GERRIT VAN HONTHORST
Source

25
PEDRO ORRENTE
Source

26
GIUSEPPE VERMIGLIO
Source

27
BARTOLOMEO BASSANTE
Source

28
BONIFAZIO VERONESE
Source

29
ANTONIO BALESTRA
Source

30
JOACHIM WTEWAEL
Source

31
ANTOINE and LOUIS LE NAIN
Source

32
PIETER DE GREBBER
Source

33
BERNARDO CAVALLINO
Source

34
GIACOMO CAVEDONE
Source

35
LIVIO MEHUS
Source

36
MARCO BENEFIAL
Source

37
LOUIS CRETEY
Source

38
TINTORETTO
Source

39
LUCA SIGNORELLI
Source

40
JEAN MICHELIN
Source

41
GASPARE TRAVERSI
Source

42
JAN BOECKHORST
Source

43
DOMENICO GHIRLANDAIO
Source

44
BARTOLOME ESTEBAN MURILLO
Source

45
PHILIPPE DE CHAMPAIGNE
"The Adoration of the Shepherds"

46
DOMENICHINO
Source

47
GIOVANNI LANFRANCO
Source

→ a n d... f i n a l l y ←

48
MATTHAUS WALLBAUM
Source

To be continued…

New International Version ©1984, EMPHASES Added
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[spankalib]

Wow. Thank you!

Like I said, I think these works were meant to be examined.

For a long long time.

In fact, I think it was a 'given' that they would be.

Based on what we've personally observed in our own (short) time frames, how much of a decrease in attention-spans have you noticed?

What do you think the attention-spans were hundreds of years ago?

That was the milieu in which these works, these beautiful works were made.

[Hebrews 11:6]

If I may, I would commend to you Tissot's and Doré's variety--that is, they (especially Tissot) illustrate aspects of these incidents no one else thinks of.

I can show you dozens of painters who show Cain striking down Abel, but only Tissot thinks to show manly, dominant Cain dragging younger, frailer, innocent Abel to his doom.

Only Tissot shows John and Peter on the edge of the tomb, peering inside.

Only Tissot shows Jesus' view from the cross.

[Hebrews 11:6]

What do you think the attention-spans were hundreds of years ago?

Perhaps, too, more thought was given before mouths were engaged, giving more reason for prolonged attention.

On the subject of differences in eras, I expect you will heartily enjoy this comedians' rendition of Three Little Pigs as it would have sounded in Shakespeare's time.

[InkStone]

“If I may, I would commend to you Tissot’s and Doré’s variety—that is, they (especially Tissot) illustrate aspects of these incidents no one else thinks of.”
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Dan, I’m going to make an ‘image study’ of both.

But you’re right; most artists depict an incident as seen ‘from standing right in front’.

But what happened just before, or some time afterward? Or from the top of the cross, as His muscles spasmed to push up for His final breath...

Could His agony be truly portrayed? “Passion of the Christ” did a good job, but terribly hard to watch.

[spankalib]

Yes. I’ve seen that. It’s great! Very creative & funny.

[InkStone]

LOL LOLOLOL Very Funnie Stuff Dan, and quite true also.

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Passion of the Pigs.

[etabeta]

You are welcome and thank you for your kind words.