Verkondiging aan de herders

An angel descends from a burst of light in the clouds, holding a banner and surrounded by cherubs. Below, three shepherds react with awe; one kneels in prayer, another shields his eyes from the radiance, and a third looks up while leaning on his crook. In the distance, a walled city with classical domes and towers sits nestled in a hilly landscape.

Aegidius Sadeler was a preeminent member of a family of engravers who eventually became the chief artist for the court of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II in Prague. This work represents the high Mannerist style that bridge religious narrative with the dramatic, light-filled compositions that would later characterize the esoteric and alchemical imagery produced within the Rudolfine circle.