Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Hans (or Johann) von Achen (Cologne 1552 - Prague 1615) workshop
Adoration of the Shepherds
Oil on canvas
112 x 90 cm./ Framed 125 x 102 cm.
The painting that we are happy to present to you, a work of excellent pictorial quality, illustrates the episode of the Nativity with the Adoration of the Shepherds. It takes its compositional idea from the altarpiece that Hans von Achen (Cologne 1552 - Prague 1615) painted for the evangelical Gothic church in Stitnik (fig. 1), which is still set in the high altar of the main nave.
From a technical point of view, we are led to consider our work as an interesting specimen from Von Achen's workshop, thus datable to the late 16th or early 17th century.
The iconography, which already enjoyed great fortune at the time thanks to Jan Sadeler's print (*), was depicted in countless versions.
(*) https://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/stampe/schede/1q030-00306/?view=autori&offset=0&hid=4456&sort=sort_int
Thus, several works are known, both by the painter and by followers, often with some variation: we can mention the one in the Sabaudia Gallery in Turin (fig.2) (https://lavenaria.it/en/node/2052), the one in the Kunsthistorisches Museum (fig.3) (https://www.khm.at/objektdb/detail/27/) or the one in the Guernsey Museum & Art Gallery (fig.4) (https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/nativity-scene-136365).
The moment when the shepherds reach the hut of the Nativity is depicted: the Virgin, with St. Joseph at her side and two magnificent angels sharing the event, is portrayed proudly showing her child to the group of adoring shepherds. Three other playful angels hold the scroll with the announcement of the Saviour's birth.
The theatricality of the scene, which takes up the same structure as the original prototype, is enhanced by the vivid, intense and brilliant colours, as well as by the strength of the strokes of light that pierce the nocturnal setting.
A German by origin, Hans von Aachen was one of the best protagonists of international Mannerism at the turn of the century. His life was characterised by a long pilgrimage that led him from his home town of Cologne to Italy for more than a decade, specifically to Venice (documented in 1574), then to Rome, where he painted the altarpiece of the Adoration of the Shepherds, and again to Florence (until around 1587). He then travelled to Germany, before finally moving to Prague in 1592, where he worked in the service of the patron who was Rudolf II (1552-1612).
Delevery information :
We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
We take great care We personally take care of the packaging, to which we devote a great deal of care: each work is carefully packed, first with arti- cle material, then with a custom-made wooden box.
Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
