The Annunciation to the Shepherds, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1634
etching, h 260mm × w 220mm More details
Rembrandt displays a penchant for drama in his early work from the 1630s. This is evident here, too, in his first etched nocturnal scene. An angel surrounded by divine light announces the glad tidings of Christ’s birth. Sheer panic breaks out on the ground below: the cattle bolt in all directions, and the shepherds are in a state of commotion.
