Shepherds and the Star, Christian Wall Art

What is painted

We see three shepherds from behind, standing and sitting on a rocky slope covered with brush. The one in the middle wears a cream robe and a red cloak and points up toward the sky. The man on the left leans on a crook beside a gnarled olive tree, and the third sits on a rock with his staff in hand. Four woolly sheep gather at their feet.

Below them a valley opens toward a walled town of pale stone houses and cypresses. The sun is just touching the far hills, turning the clouds orange and rose, and above it a bright star with long rays has already appeared.

The brushwork is thick and textured, in the manner of an impressionist oil, and the painting covers the entire print with no blank edge. It carries no text.

Keeping watch over their flock

Luke 2:8-20 describes shepherds living in the fields near Bethlehem, keeping watch over their flock by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were afraid. The angel told them not to fear and gave them a sign: a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

After the angels left, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass” (Luke 2:15). They went with haste and found Mary, Joseph and the Child.

In Luke, the shepherds are guided by the angel's message, while the star belongs to Matthew's account of the wise men. Christian art has often brought the two together, and this painting does the same: the star stands for the news that has just reached these ordinary working men.

For Advent and beyond

Hang it in a living room or above a sideboard for the weeks of Advent, or in a child's room where the Christmas story is read aloud. The sunset palette of orange, lavender and olive green blends with autumn and winter decor alike.

It is a fitting gift for a farmer, a rancher, a youth pastor, or anyone who loves the idea that the first to hear of Christmas were shepherds on a hillside.

Printing is giclée on a thick, archival paper with a matte finish, done on demand in the United States, with free US shipping. No frame is included. Sizes run from 5x7 to 24x36 inches, with metric and A formats too, and the image can also be bought as a digital file.