The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds
Here, Rembrandt shows how the herdsmen in Luke 2:8–20 were confronted in the middle of the night by a large winged angel, lit by the glory of God, who came to tell of the birth of Christ. This work presents Rembrandt’s visualization of the scene, in which the serene angel radiates calm and blessing in the clouds, while on the ground the beasts scatter in total panic and the herdsmen recoil in terror.
To create this etching, Rembrandt worked from the dark areas into the light of the foreground. Although he had painted night scenes before, this was his first attempt at duplicating the effects in etching.
To create this etching, Rembrandt worked from the dark areas into the light of the foreground. Although he had painted night scenes before, this was his first attempt at duplicating the effects in etching.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds
- Artist: Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) (Dutch, Leiden 1606–1669 Amsterdam)
- Date: 1634
- Medium: Etching and drypoint; third state of three
- Dimensions: sheet: 14 1/4 x 11 3/8 in. (36.2 x 28.9 cm)
plate: 10 1/4 x 8 11/16 in. (26.1 x 22 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: The Sylmaris Collection, Gift of George Coe Graves, 1920
- Object Number: 20.46.14
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1637
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1634
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1620–69
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1635
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1658
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.