The Annunciation to the Shepherds

The attribution to Tempesta given by Nicodemi in 1958, has been accepted ever since by art historians. With its combination of lingering Flemish influences and elements of northern Italian art ranging from the Bassano family to Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, the subject was, in fact, a favourite with this artist. The more significant points of reference appear to be the depictions of the Annunciation in the collections of the princes of Liechtenstein and the Borromeo all’Isola Bella family. Critics also agree in dating the canvas from the last years of the artist’s career in Milan, where he died in 1701. The style of this period can also be seen, for example, in the Landscape with Shepherd and Flock in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. The painting displays the customary elements of Tempesta’s work, with the episode from the New Testament practically serving as a pretext for a pastoral scene, in which the artist demonstrates his skill and delight in depicting animals and nocturnal landscapes.