The Annunciation to the Shepherds

This Biblical masterpiece was the first of Rembrandt’s nocturnal scenes, which he considered to be his greatest artistic challenge. He worked from dark to light, creating the darkest areas with fine hatching and then going over the area with a burin—
a cutting tool for making marks on the metal plate. Rembrandt’s ability to manipulate light, dark, and shadow so effectively in his etchings enabled him to create spiritual and emotional compositions of such magnitude.

Rembrandt accurately depicts this event, in which the angel announces the birth of Christ to the shepherds:

 And there were in the same country shepherds
 abiding in the field, keeping watch over their
 flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord
 came upon them, and the Glory of the Lord shone
 round about them: and they were sore afraid. And
 the angel said unto them, fear not...And suddenly
 there was with the angel a multitude of the
 heavenly host.

The artist emphasizes the magnitude of the moment through severe contrasts of light and dark. In the upper left, the angel stands on a cloud; it’s brightness contrasting with the darkness of the night sky. The dove of the Holy Spirit is at center, with a starburst of light, surrounded by small winged putti. Light is cast onto the frightened shepherds and animals, some of whom flee and stumble in terror while others remain still in the shadows.