The Adoration of the Shepherds (El Greco, Madrid)

The Adoration of the Shepherds is a painting of the traditional subject which was painted during the last year of El Greco's life. The painting is a work which the artist made to hang over his own tomb in the church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo in Toledo.[1] El Greco's signature, in Greek, may be seen in the lower left corner.[2]

The Adoration of the Shepherds
Artist	El Greco
Year	1612–1614
Medium	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	319 cm × 180 cm (126 in × 71 in)
Location	Museo del Prado, Madrid

Extreme distortion of body characterizes the Adoration of the Shepherds like all the last paintings of El Greco.The infant Christ seems to emit a light which plays off the faces of the barefoot shepherds who have gathered to pay homage to his miraculous birth. A rhythmic energy animates the painting, expressed in the dance-like motions of the figures. Striking contrasts between light and dark passages heighten the sense of drama. The group of angels which hovers over the scene may resemble the missing section of The Opening of the Fifth Seal.[2]

References

1. M. Tazartes, El Greco, 172
2. From El Greco to Cézanne (catalogue), The Adoration of the Shepherds, 130