Madrid school; 17th century

Madrid School, Circle of FRANCISCO RIZI (Madrid, 1614-San Lorenzo de El Escorial, 1685); second half of the 17th century.
"Adoration of the Shepherds.
Oil on canvas. Re-coloured.
It has repainting.
It has an 18th century frame.
Measurements: 62 x 55 cm; 72 x 63,5 cm (frame).
The painting represents the moment in which the shepherds are adoring the Baby Jesus. Arranged in an interior of dark tones, the author has placed all the characters of the scene using a classical composition in the form of a frieze. Slightly shifted to the left, and in the lower area, the figure of the child can be seen on a bed of straw. The child is being uncovered by Saint Joseph, who is holding the white cloth to facilitate the adoration of the shepherds. In the centre, Mary places her hand on her breast and tilts her head downwards with her eyelids closed, adopting an attitude of grief as if she knew the fate of her little baby. To the right of the Virgin, a shepherd leans on the mule to better observe the scene, behind him another shepherd turns his face towards an exterior point as if appealing to someone who is not in the scene, inviting him to participate in it. Finally, in the last plane, a sketched figure contemplates the scene.
The technical characteristics of the work make it aesthetically identifiable with the school of Francesco Rizi, son of the painter Antonio Rizi. Despite his Italian origin, Francisco was born in Madrid, as his family had moved to Spain to work at El Escorial. Francisco began his training with his father, together with his brother Juan, but later went on to study with Vicente Carducho, from whom he received great artistic influence. In 1634 he obtained contact with the Royal Court, thus establishing himself as a painter. When Carducho died in 1638, he joined other painters to finish the decoration of the Salón de Oro (Golden Hall) of the Alcázar in Madrid. He is known for being one of the first Spanish painters to be influenced by the Baroque style, with direct influences from the painting of artists such as Rubens and Van Dyck. Thanks to his work, he attracted the attention of the court, which is why he began to work for them, carrying out numerous commissions. In addition, thanks to his collaboration with Toledo cathedral, he became the cathedral's official painter, a position he retained until his death. In 656 he was appointed Painter to the King, making him one of the most sought-after artists of the day, which enabled him to open a workshop where renowned artists such as Claudio Coello trained. Due to his wealthy position at court, he was granted permission to live in the Real Alcázar. However, in 1671, when Juan Carreño was appointed painter to Queen Mariana, his position at court declined, although he continued to be appreciated by religious institutions.