Ancient painting "Adoration of the Child" oil on canvas 17th Century

Oil on canvas. Bolognese school of the late 17th century. In the foreground, occupying the entire left side of the scene, lies the sleeping Child Jesus, reclining backwards in a pose of complete surrender to sleep, a serene smile on his face; on the right side, diagonally framed by the raised fabric, two figures, presumably two shepherds, gaze at the child with a look of deep and serious adoration and gesture to cover him, a gesture that indicates tenderness but symbolically foreshadows the sacrifice of Christ (the deposition of his body after the Crucifixion). The reclining position of the Child, adored by Mary or by shepherds, was introduced by Guido Reni, who created several works on this subject, later widely adopted by his followers and by the Bolognese school of the 17th century. As in the works of Guido Reni, in this painting too, the light emanates directly from the Child Jesus, illuminating the devout faces of those who adore him. Already re-stretched, the painting shows signs of significant restoration. It is presented in a period frame.