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Secondary sourcePaintingc. 1606

The Shepherds Observe the Newborn Jesus Christ

Annibale Carracci · c. 1606

An etching by Annibale Carracci from around 1606 showing shepherds and the Holy Family at the Nativity of Jesus.

Depicts the Nativity of Jesus, showing shepherds and the Holy Family around his manger shortly after his birth.

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Black and white etching of the Nativity. Shepherds with a lamb and a dog stand at left, angels hover in the upper left. A wooden post divides the scene. At right, Mary kneels beside the newborn Jesus in a manger, haloed in light, while Joseph stands behind her and angels look on. Inscriptions in the lower corners read Annibale Caracci fecit et inue and Nico van Aelst.
Annibale Carracci, The Shepherds Observe the Newly-Born Jesus Christ, etching, c. 1606. Wellcome Collection, London.

About this source

What it is

This etching, made around 1606 by the Italian artist Annibale Carracci, shows the Nativity scene. Shepherds with a lamb and dog appear on one side, while Mary kneels beside the newborn Jesus in a manger on the other, with Joseph and angels nearby. It is held by the Wellcome Collection in London.

Why it matters

This print is considered one of Carracci's last works before he became ill and died young, making it a significant piece in the history of Baroque printmaking. The unusual composition, split by a tree trunk, has been studied closely by art historians for how it organizes the figures of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the infant Jesus.

Look closer

  • Why might the artist have divided the scene in two with a tree trunk, separating the shepherds from the Holy Family?
  • What details show that the baby is meant to be seen as special or holy?
  • What does this image leave out that a written account of the Nativity might include?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Jesus Christ on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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