The Holy night

 One of Correggio's most famous paintings is The Holy Night. The scene is lit by the dazzling light radiating from the manger as the happy mother gazes at her new born son.

 In the background we can see St Joseph tending to one of the animals and the foreground is dominated by the figure of a shepherd who has rushed to witness the miracle.

 Two servant girls appear in the midground, one is looking at the shepherd, and the other raises her arm dazzled by the light of the manger.

 The angels in the top of the picture ride on a cloud of expectation as they herald the birth of the infant Jesus. 

Correggio, The Holy Night,
1530 236x188 cm, Gemäldegalerie, Dresden, Germany. (s)

Personal Opinion:-

This work makes full use of the chiaroscuro effects that soften forms within the painting, an effect that is Leonardo like. But the light that radiates from within the image reminds us of the great works by the Baroque master Caravaggio; a masterpiece!

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