Michelangelo Merisi's The Adoration Of The Shepherds
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The Baroque period was best known for the period of artistic style, were artists were more exaggerated in a variety of artistic techniques making works of art more dramatic in details. This period began in Rome, Italy, then traveled all through Europe from 1600 to 1750. Many artists grew within this time period but one who became famous as soon as the era began was Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio who in 1609 painted The Adoration of the Shepherds. This painting depicts the nativity story of Christ being visited by shepherds soon after his birth. Caravaggio was famous for his intense realism he used in his paintings, creating tenebrism. Tenebrisim is a technique used in the Baroque period that uses violent contrasts of light and dark…show more content… The Adoration of the Shepherds shows diagonal lines in the way the characters are posed. Joseph and the surrounding shepherds all look down diagonally towards to Mary and Christ just like Christ and Mary look at each other diagonally. Towards the top the lines are both horizontal and vertical due to the placement of the material on the roof of the barn showing the height and probable width of the shepherds and the barn. The main shape pointed out in this painting is the round shape above Mary and Joseph called a halo, this icon religiously indicated sacred figures. This art piece consists of positive space, filling the portrait with meaningful symbols all over it. The color connects to the emotions in the scene. Since it’s a tranquil scene it uses colors like the red, black, white, brown, identifying moments of respect and honor towards Jesus Christ. Using tenebrism, “Caravaggio’s mastery of depicting light and shadow heightens the emotion making the event more immediate before our eyes.” Says the article “Archives for Adoration of the Shepherds”. This technique shows that this painting is important due to the intense colors used outside of the focal point making the art piece look dull. The visual texture in the portrait show the viewers that the drapery on Mary and the other characters are actually being used and they have moved around due to