Die Anbetung der Hirten - Hendrick Goltzius

A radiant light emanates from the infant Christ as Mary lifts a cloth to show him to a group of shepherds. To the left, an elderly Saint Joseph holds a lit candle, while above, a celestial vision of angels breaks through heavy clouds. The composition features the dynamic, muscular figures and dramatic contrasts characteristic of the late sixteenth-century Haarlem school.

This print is part of Goltzius's 'Meisterstiche' series, created to demonstrate his 'Protean' ability to masterfully imitate the styles of other famous artists—in this case, the Venetian Jacopo Bassano. The inscription's use of the term 'machina mundi' (machine of the world) reflects the contemporary philosophical view of the cosmos as a divinely constructed mechanism.