Adoration of the Shepherds

In this biblical image, shepherds gather to see the newborn Jesus. Cherubs admire the infant from above. Turchi’s work is known for its sense of movement and soft use of light and colour. Many artists, like Turchi, used copper for its smooth surface.This enabled them to include lots of detail. This is one of the artworks presented by the Liverpool Royal Institution. Liverpool’s economic development grew directly from Britain’s involvement with transatlantic slavery: the kidnapping, enslavement and forced migration of people from West Africa to the Americas and many to the Caribbean. Many members of the Royal Institution made their fortunes directly through the trade or indirectly through the wider economy. This wealth was largely how they were able to bring rare art and treasures, such as this, to the city.