Adoration of the Shepherds

In New Granada, painting was a method not only to demonstrate the characteristics of a family structure promoted by the Catholic Church but also to present the roles that this institution considered each subject within it should fulfill.

This work shows the visit of the shepherds to the newborn Jesus in the portal of Bethlehem, a scene that has been widely represented since the Middle Ages. 

The composition and iconography of this scene were established, taking as a reference the gospel of Luke, the only one that describes the event. Only in the 15^th century did the scene of the shepherds coming to worship the Child begin to be represented.

In a manger and resting on a white sheet, we see the Child. Saint Joseph and Mary are on the left, with their bodies leaning towards the newborn. 

When the Child was born, an angel announced this event to the shepherds of the region. In this case, a group of angels and cherubs are represented. 

They are accompanied by an inscription in Latin that, despite being incomplete due to the deterioration of the image, shows the exact words that, according to the Gospel, the angels said at that moment: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of goodwill.” 

To the right of the image are three shepherds who are surprised by the scene looking up, or praising Jesus with their hands in prayer. 

At the bottom of the scene, there are different elements that suggest the death and resurrection of Christ. 
The lamb, tied by its limbs, alludes to the sacrifice for the salvation of humanity made by Christ, named according to liturgical language as the Lamb of God.

The basket of eggs is understood as a symbol of the resurrection of Christ on the third day of his death on the cross. The birds, for their part, are shown as an allusion to the union between heaven and earth.