"The Holy Night" by Il Correggio
A Renaissance masterpiece that transformed the use of light in painting and celebrates the artistic heritage of Reggio Emilia
Timetable
The artwork can be viewed during the opening hours of the San Prospero Basilica.
Monday to Sunday
8.00 am – 12.00
4.00 – 7.00 pm
One of the greatest masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, The Holy Night, also known as the Adoration of the Shepherds, is among the most celebrated works by Antonio Allegri, known as Correggio (1489–1534).
Painted in 1522 for the Pratoneri family chapel in the Basilica of San Prospero in Reggio Emilia, the work is renowned for its extraordinary use of light: the Christ Child becomes the sole source of illumination, casting a soft, radiant glow across the entire scene and creating a dramatic effect that transformed Renaissance painting.
The painting's fame attracted some of Europe's greatest artists, including Peter Paul Rubens and Diego Velázquez, who travelled to Reggio Emilia to admire its remarkable beauty and innovative style.
Today, the original painting is housed in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, Germany.
However, visitors to the San Prospero Basilica can still admire a historic copy displayed in the original frame and spot the distinctive outline of the Val d'Enza hills in the background, a subtle tribute to the landscape of the Reggio Emilia area.
Contacts
Piazza San Prospero - 42121 Reggio Emilia (RE)
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