Description
4. Attribué à Cornelis Cornelisz. Kunst (Leyde circa 1493-circa 1544)
L'Adoration des bergers
oil on panel, shaped top
58,8 x 38.3cm (23 1/8 x 15 1/16in).
Provenance
Sale, Hotel Drouot, Paris, 25 June 1998, lot 17
With Gallery Francis J. Devaux, Brussels, 2001, where purchased by the present owner
Active in Leiden during the first half of the sixteenth century, Cornelis Cornelisz. Kunst's work reflects the transition from the late Gothic tradition to the emerging Renaissance style in the Northern Netherlands.
The present painting is a characteristic example of the artist's treatment of sacred subjects. The intimate portrayal of the Holy Family is animated by the varied gestures and expressions of the shepherds gathered around the Christ Child, while the carefully orchestrated composition demonstrates Kunst's ability to combine devotional intensity with vivid narrative storytelling. Particular attention is given to the landscape setting and architectural details, which enrich the narrative and reflect the artist's interest in creating convincing spatial environments.
The panel's shape and the modest dimensions suggest that it may originally have formed part of a larger devotional ensemble, perhaps a polyptych illustrating scenes from the Life of Christ. Intended for private devotion, it exemplifies the small-scale religious paintings that played an important role in the life of the Northern Netherlands during the early sixteenth century.
About the sale
From Antwerp to Bruges, the Collection of a Flemish Connoisseur
Auction location
Auction time
11/04/2026 at 11:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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