Adoration of the Shepherds – Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria – Perugia
The lunette, like the Pala Opistografa preserved in the same museum, comes from Monteripido monastery: the monks commissioned it for one of the two chapels in the cloister overlooking the church.
According to local historians, the decorations concerned also other lunettes, showing other scenes such as Martyrdom of the Franciscans, the Announcement to the shepherds and the Adoration of the Magi, all realized by Vannucci, but these other frescoes are unfortunately lost. Since this work was also pouring in problematic conditions, the friars commissioned the detachment in 1856 and since 1863 it can be admired inside the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria. In 1994, the painting was restored, allowing greater readability of some details, such as the iridescent orange color of a shepherd’s robe and the transparency of the veil of Mary.
The new layout of the Galleria Nazionale includes also the two preparatorydrawings used as a model for the shepherds in the background, in a central position.
The work is preserved at the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria.
