The Annunciation to the Shepherds, probably 1558 Jacopo Bassano (1517-1592)
Jacopo Bassano – The Annunciation to the Shepherds, probably 1558
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Painter: Jacopo Bassano
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Download full size: 302×390 px (0,0 Mb)
Painter: Jacopo Bassano
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THE BATH OF EXISTENCE
Wash away your own self... The body after a bath – even the purified body! – becomes lighter, and its easier to breathe, and the colors of the world are brighter and more pleasant, as if youd refreshed the palette.
How light and airy the soul can become if you wash it clean of layers and layers of dirt – dirt accumulated by an insatiable, conceited, selfish, grounded, beloved self. The bath of existence is necessary – a harsh bath, not necessarily joyful, a thick steam room with a birch broom that smells strongly.
Wash away your own self... Do you know the recipe? I am composing it blindly, slowly, gradually, throughout my life; I go to churches, Orthodox and Catholic, and listen – what resonates with the soul, and how. I walk past morgues, thinking about how those cold, physical logs stored there relate to a soul that has crossed the threshold. I walk through the corridors of libraries, storing clusters of world wisdom, and manuscripts shimmer before me with an unattainable symbolic meaning. Blindly, very slowly, I compose the recipe – from prayers, texts, hieroglyphs, rare insights.
I wouldnt say Im making great progress. But I know that cleansing the soul of the self prepares it for flight...
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Below, a group of figures – presumably shepherds – react to this apparition. Their postures convey a range of emotions: astonishment, awe, and apprehension. One shepherd, positioned in the foreground, reclines on a blanket, his gaze directed upwards, while playing a flute. His relaxed posture offers a counterpoint to the more agitated reactions of those around him. Another figure, standing near a large bovine animal, kneels with hands clasped in prayer or supplication. A third shepherd raises his arms towards the sky in a gesture of wonder and reverence. Further back, another individual appears to be leaning out from behind a rocky outcrop, observing the scene with an expression that is difficult to decipher definitively.
The landscape itself contributes significantly to the painting’s atmosphere. The terrain is uneven and shadowed, suggesting a remote and somewhat desolate location. A dark, almost impenetrable forest forms a backdrop on the right side of the composition, adding to the sense of mystery and isolation. The use of chiaroscuro – the dramatic contrast between light and shadow – is particularly effective in creating depth and highlighting the key figures within the scene.
The presence of livestock – the bovine animal being central to the group – underscores the humble nature of those witnessing this divine event. This detail suggests a narrative centered on individuals typically considered outside the realm of religious privilege or grandeur. The overall effect is one of profound spiritual revelation experienced by ordinary people in an unexpected and awe-inspiring manner. The artist’s choice of depicting the scene at night, with its inherent darkness and uncertainty, further amplifies the sense of wonder and mystery surrounding this encounter.