The Adoration of the Shepherds

Marcellus Coffermans painted this Adoration of the Shepherds around 1550, working in an intentionally archaic style that recalled the great Netherlandish masters of the fifteenth century. Based in Antwerp, Coffermans ran a prolific workshop producing small devotional panels for export, particularly to the Spanish and Portuguese markets. His deliberately retrospective style catered to collectors who preferred the traditional Netherlandish idiom over the Italianate Mannerism then dominant.

The oil on wood panel demonstrates Coffermans' careful emulation of earlier Netherlandish masters, with detailed landscape backgrounds and precise figure rendering. His conservative technique preserves the jewel-like finish and rich coloring of the Van Eyck tradition while working at a smaller devotional scale.