Andalusian school, possibly Granada; second half of the 18th century.

Andalusian school, possibly Granada; second half of the eighteenth century.
"The Adoration of the shepherds".
Polychrome terracotta.
It presents faults and restorations.
Measurements: 18 x 6,5 cm (larger); 4 x 6 x 4,5 cm (smaller).
Made in polychrome terracotta and dated in the second half of the XVIII century, this sculptural group is inscribed within the tradition of the Andalusian school, probably in the area of Granada, one of the most active centers in the production of devotional imagery and crib sets. This type of compositions responds to a practice deeply rooted in the Hispanic visual culture: the creation of nativity scenes, promoted especially since the 17th century and consolidated in the 18th century under the influence of the Counter-Reformation spirituality, which promoted a close, emotional and accessible religiosity.
The scene represents the evangelical moment in which the shepherds come to adore the newborn baby Jesus. The composition is organized around the Holy Family, with the central figure of the Child lying in the manger, flanked by the Virgin and St. Joseph, and surrounded by shepherds and animals that reinforce the humble and everyday character of the episode. From the technical and stylistic point of view, the work clearly reflects the characteristics of the Andalusian school of the 18th century: the use of terracotta as a material allows an agile and expressive modeling, visible in the dynamic folds of the clothes and in the individualization of the faces. The polychrome, applied with chromatic sensitivity, gives verisimilitude and warmth to the figures, reinforcing their narrative character. Likewise, there is a balance between the naturalism inherited from the Baroque and a certain gentle, everyday grace typical of eighteenth-century taste.
In this context, the Granada tradition linked to sculptors such as José Risueño is relevant, whose influence remains in the attention to detail, the delicacy of the expressions and the ability to provide the figures with an intense emotional charge without falling into dramatic excess.