'Adoration of the Shepherds' by Eustache Le Sueur

Eustache Le Sueur (1875–1946), ‘Adoration of the Shepherds,’ mid 17th century, oil on canvas, 38 1/2 x 53 1/4 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, purchase/gift of Gloria Teichert with funds provided by Jack R. and Mary Lois Wheatley.

Eustache Le Sueur brings to life Luke’s gospel account of the birth of Jesus in this dynamic, theatrical scene. Confronting the viewer with her gaze, Mary lifts the pure white cloth to unveil her newborn child. In the center of the composition is the infant Jesus, who captures the gazes and adoration of all who surround Him. Child-angels, called putti, gently emerge from heaven in tumbling clouds of gold, referencing the angel who testified of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:9-12). With the birth of Jesus Christ, a New Law is established, and the Old Law of Moses falls away, symbolized by the collapsing pillars and stones in the background. Above the manger, a bull serves as a reminder of the animal sacrifices that preceded Christ. Assuming the role of an altar, the crib holds the baby Jesus, enshrouded in white cloth, who is the final offering for the sins of the world.

A prominent French Baroque artist, Eustache Le Sueur, played a significant role in the establishment of France’s prestigious Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in 1648. Like his Baroque contemporaries, Le Sueur painted scenes of idealized figures emphasized with dramatic light and shadows, evoking an emotional response that may inspire conversion.

Guest written by Curatorial Fellow Allie Sena.