Adoration of the Shepherds GERARD VAN HONTHORST 1622

 
Utrecht, 1590-1656

Van Honthorst was a Dutch painter who followed Italian models. Van Honthorst lived long enough to witness the revival of classical themes in the Netherlands. After his early training with the Mannerist master Abraham Bloemaert, in Utrecht, van Honthorst moved to Rome in 1610 and remained in Italy for ten years. During this period of intense study and work, he mastered the style of  Caravaggio, to which he added Guido Reni's classicism. Van Honthorst specialized in the execution of evocative night scenes, with tones that were gently poetic.
 
On his return to Utrecht he alternated vast canvases on religious subjects always influenced by the great Italian masters.

The Nativity is one of the painter's favorite themes, and some versions have become famous anew in modern times, especially on Christmas cards. He is sometimes known as Gerrit von Honthorst and Gerrit van Honthorst and even Gerritt, etc., depending on the provenance, and the book of art. He is one and the same artist. Gerrit or Gerritt is a Dutch alternative for Gerard. Van and von stand for "son of" but I am not familiar with the reason for the disparity of spelling other than cultural reasons or perhaps exchanging the Dutch van for the German von by mistake.

We left this image large intentionally: usually we have reduced it by at least 200 pixels whenever it has been displayed to save download time, but its simple, lyrical grandeur merits to be exhibited as it ought to be. Since this is a permanent web gallery, one will have the time to view it eventually. The various skin tones of the figures are as the artist painted them. I know some of you prefer less "yellow" in the images displayed, but this gallery is designed to not only feature specific imagery but is also focused somewhat on the artists themselves. Except for necessary "restoration" I have not altered tone in any image.

I believe the royal seal on the bottom right might be of Protestant origin, but I even left this as it is an authentic part of the full image. The manifest or provenance does not describe the emblem.

The artist is a true master of capturing light and shadow, unmatched except by Georges de la Tour.




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