The Adoration of the Shepherds — El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos), ca. 1605

Story of the birth of Christ Luke 2:1-20

9 hands · 1300–1612

And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar…Luke 2:1

What it depicts

Luke 2:1-20Opened by an editor anchoring a notation that states no passage of its own. Iconclass glosses 73B2 as "adoration of the Christ-child ~ Christ’s birth" and states no reference, because the reference is its neighbour’s: 73B1 is the story of the birth of Christ, Luke 2:1-20. The adoration is what happens in those verses, so it opens that subject rather than a new one.

1And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled.

2This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria.

3And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city.

4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David,

5To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.

6And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered.

7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock.

9And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear.

10And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:

11For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.

12And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying:

14Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.

15And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us.

16And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

17And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child.

18And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.

19But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.

20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Read it in Luke

Seen

Not described yet.

Of

The subjects are the library’s own joins, each marked with who made it. The other rows are claims by the holder and by Wikidata, read 2026-09-17, and join nothing until an editor confirms them.

Subject: Story of the birth of ChristLuke 2:1-20joined by editor pass delegated by Abe Garcia, 2026-09-18
Iconclass: 73B25(+3)
Holder's headings: Cows, Lambs, Virgin Mary, Jesus, Adoration of the Shepherds
Wikidata depicts: Jesus Christ, Mary, cattle, donkey, Saint Joseph, angel, bull, Christ Child, adoration of the shepherds, lamb

Means

No reading yet.

Rights

Credit: Rogers Fund, 1905
Licence: CC0-1.0
Evidence: metmuseum.org collection api v1: isPublicDomain=true on object 436570 (read 2026-09-16)
Record: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436570

How this join was made

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY gives this object the Iconclass notation73B25(+3), and the library's map reads that notation as Luke 2:1-20. An editor has checked the picture against the passage and confirmed it.

Confirmed: the object's own title names the scene and the matched notation or heading is specific to it.

Also by El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)

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Within fifty years of ca. 1605–10

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Also at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

671

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Similar picturesFound by visual likeness

3 pictures

Other makers only

Visual resemblances suggested by the model. A match does not establish a shared subject or historical connection.

0.87

The Adoration of the Shepherds, El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) and Workshop — The Adoration of the ShepherdsEl Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) and Workshopca. 1612–14Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

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In the stacks

Not yet checked1

Passages in the library’s own holdings that name this maker. The model ranked them; nobody has checked that the name means this person.

Vision and Design · Roger Fry
For one thing, the idea goes back behind Michelangelo to Signorelli, and in his case, at least, one can see no trace of any preoccupation with those psychological states, but rather a pure passion for a particular kind of rhythmic design. Moreover, the general principle of the continued enlargement of the unit of design was bound to occur the moment artists recovered from the debauch of naturalism of the fifteenth century and became conscious again of the demands of abstract design. In trying thus to place El Greco’s art in
0.68

Connections

Depicts

Story of the birth of ChristConfirmed: the object's own title names the scene and the matched notation or heading is specific to it.

Made in the seventeenth century, like The Adoration of the Shepherds.

Library

Classroom

Yours

Story of the birth of Christ Luke 2:1-20

What it depicts

Seen

Of

Means

Rights

How this join was made

Also by El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)

Within fifty years of ca. 1605–10

Also at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Similar picturesFound by visual likeness

In the stacks

Connections

Depicts

Next

Movements

On the wall

Story of the birth of ChristLuke 2:1-20

What it depicts

Seen

Of

Means

Rights

How this join was made

Also by El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)

Within fifty years of ca. 1605–10

Also at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Similar picturesFound by visual likeness

In the stacks

Connections

Depicts

Next

Movements

On the wall

Story of the birth of Christ Luke 2:1-20