Aanbidding door de herders

This engraving depicts the Adoration of the Shepherds, characterized by the muscular, elongated figures typical of Dutch Mannerism. Mary kneels beside the manger, gently lifting a swaddling cloth to reveal the Christ child to the visitors, while a woman carrying a basket and water jug stands at the right. Through a small window in the stable wall, an angel is seen appearing to shepherds in the fields under a radiant light.

As a collaboration between designer Hendrick Goltzius and engraver Jan Saenredam, this work represents the intellectual and artistic summit of the Haarlem Mannerists. The group's emphasis on heroic anatomy and complex composition reflects a humanistic attempt to merge classical form with sacred narrative, often facilitated by the Latin verses of scholars like Cornelis Schonaeus.