Adoration of the Shepherds

The six paintings are faithful copies of the sketches for the side altarpieces in the abbey church of Gries (Bolzano/Bozen), painted by Martin Knoller between 1795 and 1801. The sketches, exhibited in the refectory of the Bolzano monastery, received a considerable amount of attention in the local art scene at the beginning of the 19th century and were reproduced by various artists. These copies were probably commissioned by the Curia of Trento and are the work of an unknown artist from Knoller's circle. They demonstrate the rise of the neo-classical style in Trentino. This particular copy represents the Adoration of the Shepherds.