Digital resources in the Social Sciences and Humanities OpenEdition Our platforms OpenEdition Books OpenEdition Journals Hypotheses Calenda Libraries OpenEdition Freemium Follow us

1921/2009: Antoine Pesne, The Adoration of the Shepherds and sketch (c. 1748)

Figs. 1-2 Antoine Pesne, The Adoration of the Shepherds, c. 1748. Berlin, Bode- Museum (Source: Wikimedia Commons); Antoine Pesne, The Adoration of the Shepherds,  c. 1748. Berlin, Bode-Museum (Source: SMB Digital)

The Misplaced Altarpiece

by Virginie Mühlbrodt

In addition to its own collection, the Gemäldegalerie also exhibits works from external collections on a permanent loan basis. This article delves into the permanent loan of The Adoration of the Shepherds by Antoine Pesne, including the accompanying sketch, which belongs to the museum. What narratives are encapsulated within the artwork and its preparator sketch? This article addresses this inquiry by focusing on the altarpiece, which has undergone cycles of oblivion and rediscovery throughout the centuries. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of Frederick II’s Prussia, tracing the evolution of the Catholic diaspora in Berlin.


WORK RECORD

The Adoration of the Shepherds by Antoine Pesne, around 1748, oil on canvas, 199 x 142 cm

Permanent loan from St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, Berlin, to the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, since 2009.

Now in: Berlin, Skulpturensammlung, Bode-Museum

Originally from: St. Hedwig’s Cathedral (until 1925 St. Hedwig’s Church) in Berlin

Passed through: Berlin, inventory of the St. Hedwig’s Church (1773-1925); Berlin, rediscovery and restauration at the Academy of Arts (1925-1927), Berlin, Behrenstr. 66; Berlin, Bishop’s residence, conference room (1931-1943); unknown (1943-1945); Berlin (West), Episcopal Ordinariate, episcopal house chapel (1945-1998); Berlin, St. Hedwig’s Cathedral (1998-2009); Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, Kulturforum (2009-2012); Berlin, Skulpturensammlung, Bode-Museum (since 2013).

Conservation history: 1925-1927, Curth Agthe, cleaning, and retouching; 1998, Sieglinde Timm, cleaning of the picture surface, removal of the old and dark varnish and the dirt underneath, removal of later overpaintings and small colour retouching.


The Adoration of the Shepherds by Antoine Pesne, around 1748, oil on canvas, 41,7 x 26,5 cm, cat. no. 1893

Bought for the Gemäldegalerie from Anna Blank, Berlin in 1921.

Now in: Berlin, Skulpturensammlung, Bode-Museum

Originally from: unknown

Passed through: unknown (1748-1921); Berlin, Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum (today Bode-Museum) (1921-1932); Berlin, Pergamon-Museum (1932-1941); unknown (1941-1944); Thüringen, Kaiseroda (Merkers) (1944-1945); Hessen, CCP Wiesbaden (1945-1956); unknown (1957-1978); Berlin, Dahlem (1978-1996); Berlin, Bode-Museum (1996-1997); Berlin, Kulturforum (1997-2018); Berlin, Skulpturensammlung, Bode-Museum (since 2018).

Conservation history: 2003, Gemäldegalerie Kulturforum, unknown conservator; 2005, Gemäldegalerie Kulturforum, Maria Reimelt, stabilising of loose paint layers; 2014, Gemäldegalerie Kulturforum, Susanne Welther, smoothing out of dents in the canvas, cleaning of the surface, minor puttying and retouching.


COMMENTARY

The artwork The Adoration of the Shepherds (oil on canvas, measuring 199 x 142 cm) by Antoine Pesne embodies the essence of the so-called Rococo period, yet stands out as a rarity within the artist’s body of work. Its iconography distinguishes it from Pesne’s typical portraits and history paintings, while still reflecting the lightness and playfulness characteristic of the Rococo era. In this work, Pesne successfully employs the refined and highly detailed painting technique of the Rococo, presenting the scene of the Nativity with an air of cheerfulness and effortless grace. When considering its origin within the Catholic community in Protestant Prussia, the distinctiveness of this piece within Pesne’s oeuvre becomes even more pronounced.

Despite its significance, the artwork was repeatedly overlooked, probably also because of its location in a church (and therefore in a liturgical rather than museographic setting). In the 19th century, it fell into oblivion due to shifting artistic tastes, only to resurface briefly after being rediscovered at the outset of the 20th century. However, it once again fell into oblivion until its eventual rediscovery in 1998.

The Frederician Rococo painting and its fluctuating popularity till the 19th century (1747-1893)

Although The Adoration of the Shepherds lacks a signature or date from Antoine Pesne, its attribution to the artist is unmistakable, primarily due to the existence of two signed and dated preparatory sketches on canvas. The first known sketch from 1745 (Fig.3) exhibits notable disparities from the final altarpiece; however, key elements such as the presence of putti amidst the smoke and the cave backdrop are already discernible. The second sketch from 1747 (Fig.2) mirrors the altarpiece’s composition and format precisely, including even the shape of the subsequent frame of the altarpiece. Presently held by the Gemäldegalerie, this sketch is displayed alongside the altarpiece at the Bode Museum. Yet, the question arises: Why did Pesne, renowned as a court painter specializing in portraits and genre paintings, devote himself to a religious subject during this period?

Fig. 3 Antoine Pesne, Nativity, 1745, 48.5cm  x 72 cm. St. Petersburg, Hermitage. Source Wikiart

In 1747, Frederick II laid the cornerstone of St. Hedwig’s Church, a cause for celebration for the Catholic community in Berlin, of which Antoine Pesne was a part. This event marked the construction of the first Catholic church in Prussian Berlin since the Reformation, signalling a new-found religious freedom as part of the broader Prussian reform project. However, the church’s construction faced delays, exacerbated by the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War in 1756 and the financial constraints of the Catholic community. Consequently, the completion of St. Hedwig’s, including the ornamental lantern and lead roofing of the wooden dome, was deferred until the 19th century. Despite these challenges, the church was consecrated in a provisional state in 1773, marking a significant milestone for the Catholic community in Berlin.[1]

The painting was positioned on the right-side altar during the consecration of the provisional church. It remains uncertain whether it was commissioned or gifted by Antoine Pesne, given the financial struggles of the Catholic community at the time. Regardless, the placement of the painting was likely ill-considered. St. Hedwig’s Church, modelled after the Pantheon with its rotunda, had only eight large windows to illuminate the interior. Unfortunately, two of these windows were obscured by the sizable side altar structures, resulting in a dimly lit environment. Consequently, the paintings and artworks within the church were hardly visible.[2]

Due to the extensive remodelling that commenced at St. Hedwig’s Church in 1883, Pesne’s artwork was relocated to the diplomatic box, an exclusive area reserved for diplomats and high-ranking officials, after remaining in its original location for over a century. These renovations reflect the evolving tastes of the era. The church’s Frederician Rococo interior no longer aligned with contemporary preferences, prompting significant alterations to its design. Side altars were removed to reveal the windows they obscured, while the altar featuring Pesne’s work was transferred to the diplomatic loge. Subsequently, a new altar was built and Pesne’s altarpiece was replaced by The Adoration of the Shepherds (1867) by Johann Veit, a lesser-known German artist (1790-1854).[3]

However, the disappearance of Antoine Pesne’s work did not end with its removal from the main church room to a loge.  At some point after 1883 and before 1893, The Adoration of the Shepherds was apparently removed from the diplomatic loge, for in 1893 Richard Borrmann, an authority on the architectural and artistic landmarks of Berlin, mentioned in passing that the painting was stored in the floor space above the vestibule of the church in a state of neglect. [4] For the subsequent 30 years, the artwork remained forgotten in this location until its eventual rediscovery.

The Painting and its journey through the 20th Century (1925-1998)

The painting remained largely unnoticed until 1925, when art historian Karl Walter rescued it from obscurity in the vestibule of St. Hedwig’s Church, which had been transformed to a cathedral in that same year, when Berlin was established as an archbishopric. The painting then underwent a meticulous two-year restoration process by Curth Agthe at the Academy of Arts in Berlin. During this period, Walter published a poignant article in the art magazine Der Kunstwanderer, drawing attention to the painting’s poor state of preservation due to its prior inadequate storage conditions.[5] Walter unequivocally regarded it as a neglected masterpiece by Pesne, advocating for its reinstatement to its original position on the right-side altar in St. Hedwig’s Church. [6]

Walter’s efforts sparked considerable public interest, prompting St. Hedwig’s Church to address the rediscovery of the painting. The church explained the decision to remove and store the artwork as a reflection of evolving tastes over time. Additionally, the church emphasized that there were no intentions to reinstall the painting They argued that this would not only darken the windows again but also hinder the visibility of the artwork.[7]

Despite its rediscovery, reliable sources documenting the painting’s whereabouts remain scarce. It is documented that the Academy of Arts returned the painting to the Catholic community of Berlin in 1927, yet it was not reinstated at St. Hedwig’s Church. Instead, the painting was more likely relocated to the bishop’s residence, situated behind St. Hedwig’s, until 1931-1932. [8] This thesis is plausible given that the Church had already expressed its opposition to the reinstalment of the painting in its original location in 1925.

After becoming an archbishopric in that same year, the new bishop’s residence subsequently moved to the former military cabinet at Behrenstraße 66, where the painting adorned the conference room until November 21, 1943.[9] During the ensuing nights, the building fell victim to explosive and incendiary bombs, but the painting was fortunately salvaged as part of a rescue operation. However, its precise whereabouts for the next years remain unknown, as the archives of the episcopal residence were also destroyed by fire.[10]

During the tumultuous post-war period and the division of Berlin, locating the Pesne painting proved challenging. Only a photograph from the 1950s attests that from an unknown time on the painting adorned the bishop’s post-war residence at Schlachtensee until 1961. Following the division of Berlin, the bishop relinquished this residence and relocated to a villa in Grunewald. It is plausible that the painting accompanied this move, as it was never documented at the Bishop’s Ordinariate West on Wundtstrasse. Given that the bishop’s other residences were situated in the eastern part of the divided city, a transfer to these locations can be discounted. Subsequently, the painting fell into obscurity once again. During the division of the city, the painting did not feature in any exhibitions dedicated to Pesne, and even after reunification it remained overlooked.[11]

The resurgence of interest in The Adoration of the Shepherds came in 1998, when art historian Christine Götz brought it back into the public knowledge the painting. Upon joining the archbishopric of Berlin as an art historian in 1995, Götz initiated an inventory of all artefacts within the archbishopric’s possession. Three years later, she stumbled upon the forgotten altarpiece by Antoine Pesne, marking a significant milestone in her professional career. Götz has extensively documented the painting and its importance to Berlin’s Catholic community in various publications. She lauded it as one of the paramount achievements of religious painting in Frederician Prussia, a sentiment echoed by the diocese.[12] Following conservation work by Sieglinde Timm in 1998, the painting became a focal point every Christmas at St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, where it was presented during the holidays and garnered enthusiastic acclaim. Its iconography lent itself perfectly to this annual presentation.[13]

The path of the oil sketch: Provenance and joint presentation with the altarpiece in the Gemäldegalerie (1921-today)

The signed oil sketch, measuring a mere 41.7 x 26.5 cm, presents a narrative distinct from that of the altarpiece. The framing and background offer insights into the artistic process and the relationship to the finished altarpiece. Despite their proximity, notable disparities exist between the sketch and the painting. Also created around 1748, the sketch evokes the style of Venetian Baroque painting, characterized by its warm, earthy tones, contrasting starkly with the cooler palette of the altarpiece. Furthermore, the composition undergoes significant alterations; the sketch positions the Christ child prominently in the foreground, whereas Mary assumes a greater prominence due to her central position in the altarpiece.[14]

While the altarpiece features a relatively continuous provenance history, spanning centuries, the sketch vanished from the public scene for over 170 years. Its reappearance occurred in 1921, when it was acquired by the Gemäldegalerie. However, the circumstances surrounding its purchase are largely obscure; all that remains known is that an individual named Anna Blank from Berlin sold the painting to the Gemäldegalerie for 7,000 marks.[15] The lack of information regarding this transaction presents a formidable challenge in closing this significant gap in the sketch’s provenance. Currently, there exists no discernible starting point for research to shed light on this acquisition.


Following its entry in the museum, the sketch’s life history becomes clearer. In 1925, it was housed in an office within the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum (todays Bode Museum). [16] Then, in 1932, it became part of the collection at the Deutsches Museum, which was accommodated within the Pergamon Museum, inaugurated in 1930. [17] It remained there until the outbreak of the Second World War, at which point it was evacuated along with other paintings from the Gemäldegalerie. In 1944, the Allies recovered it from the Kaiseroda salt works in Merkers, Thuringia. Like many surviving paintings from the Gemäldegalerie, it followed a route via Frankfurt am Main and eventually arrived at the Central Collecting Point (CCP) in Wiesbaden in 1945, where it remained until 30 August 1948. Subsequently, the sketch and numerous other art and cultural objects were given to the Hessian government. It wasn’t until 1956 that the Hessian government returned the artworks to their previous owners. [18]

Upon its return to Berlin, the sketch fell into abeyance for an extended period. Despite its immediate inclusion in the exhibition commemorating the 200th anniversary of Antoine Pesne’s death at Charlottenburg Palace in 1957, the sketch vanished from the Gemäldegalerie’s collection catalogue for over two decades.[19] The whereabouts of the painting during these two decades could not be clarified during the research. It wasn’t until 1978 that the sketch reappeared in the catalogue. Until 1996, the painting remained in the depot in Dahlem. Subsequently, it was exhibited at the Bode-Museum before being relocated to the newly opened Kulturforum in 1998. Remarkably, this was the same year the altarpiece was republished by Götz. However, it would take over a decade for the two paintings to be reunited.[20]

In 2009, the long-awaited display of the altarpiece took place at the Gemäldegalerie, alongside the accompanying preparatory sketch. The diocese decided to loan the altarpiece to the gallery for a period of three years. Recognizing the significance of the artwork, a one-time display during the Christmas season would have been inadequate. Instead, a year-round presentation within the Gemäldegalerie was deemed more fitting to highlight the painting’s value. Both pieces were showcased together in the study room on the ground floor, typically reserved for works not considered as high-ranked masterpieces, but still relevant for their art historical value. The rationale behind exhibiting the Pesne’s work in this space remains unclear, perhaps stemming from the challenge of categorizing the piece within the artist’s existing body of work or the perceived subordinate role of Christian art in Prussian art history.[21]

Originally intended as a temporary loan to the Gemäldegalerie, the painting’s significance led to a renegotiation of the contract, resulting in its permanent loan to the gallery in 2013. However, the closure of the Gemäldegalerie’s study room in the same year forced the museum to search for a new suitable location. Consequently, both the painting and its accompanying sketch found a new home at the Skulpturensammlung in the Bode Museum. Interestingly they are housed in room 252, designated as South German Baroque, a classification that does not align with Pesne’s identity as a Prussian court painter. Due to the unfortunately chosen location, which is both art-historically questionable and hardly beneficial to the two paintings in terms of the room’s layout and the objects within it, the duration of the current placement remains uncertain. The process of critical rediscovery and the accompanying public attention is not yet complete.[22]


[1] Schultze / Meyer 1918, pp. 298-300.

[2] Haude / Spencer 1775, pp. 62-64.

[3] Walter 1925, pp. 97-100.

[4] Borrmann 1893, p. 186.

[5] Walter 1925.

[6] DAB, VI/3-4,  Walter 1927, p. 6., 26.07.1927

[7] DAB, VI/3-4, Wurch-Erstein, 24.12.1925.

[8] Reichsverband der Adreßbuch-Verleger 1932, part III, p. 71.

[9] Meier 1932, pp. 143-148.

[10] Eckhardt et al. 1978, p. 51.

[11] DAB IX/1-BN 2235,00 | Foto Harry Wagner, 1945-1961.

[12] Goetz / Beyer 2016, p. 116.

[13] DAB, VI/3-4- St. Hedwig Berlin, 1998.

[14] Walter 1925.

[15] ZA SMB, Inventare III – V, Seite IV, p.51.

[16] Walter 1925.

[17] Michaelis 2021.

[18] BA, Filmrolle 14.A.6. B 323/245, Outshipments 74 – 98, 30.08.1948

[19] Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten 1957, p. 29.

[20] GG, KatNr. 1893, Bildarchiv: Standorte v. 01.02.1978 – 23.11.2018.

[21] Förner 2009.

[22] GG, KatNr. 1893, Bildarchiv: Standorte v. 01.02.1978 – 23.11.2018.


SOURCES

Archives

BA= Koblenz, Bundesarchiv, B 323/245, Outshipments 74-98, 1947 – 1952, Sachakte. URL: https://invenio.bundesarchiv.de/invenio/direktlink/05ffea22-aab7-4d0d-bf01-f0885cc9e318/, 1947-1952 (last accessed: 15 March 2024).

DAB= Berlin, Diözesanarchiv, St. Hedwig Berlin-Mitte, DAB IX/1-BN 2235,00 | Foto Harry Wagner.

DAB= Berlin, Diözesanarchiv, St. Hedwig Berlin-Mitte, DAB VI/3-4, 1925 – 1927: Walter, Karl: „Das Bild von Antoine Pesne in St. Hedwig“, in: Katholische Kirchenblatt, Berlin, no. 26, 26 June 1927, p. 6.

DAB= Berlin, Diözesanarchiv, St. Hedwig Berlin-Mitte, DAB VI/3-4, 1925 – 1927: Wurch-Erstein: „Weihnachten. Das von Dr. Walter auf dem Boden der Hedwigkirche in Berlin wieder entdeckte Gemälde des Malers A.Pesne (1683 – 1757)“, in: Die Welt. Illustrierte Wochenbeilage, Berlin, no. 52, 24 December 1925.

GG = Berlin, Bildakten der Gemäldegalerie – Staatliche Museen Berlin, Pesne, Antoine, Cat. no. 1893.

ZA SMB = Berlin, Zentralarchiv der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin, Inventaren III – V, Nachweiszeitraum der Zugänge 1866 – 1938 (Neue Inv.Nr. 1 – 1216).

Bibliography

Berlin, 1957: Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten: Antoine Pesne. Gedächtnisausstellung zum 200. Todestag. Ausst. Kat. Schloss Charlottenburg (Berlin: 1957), Berlin, Hartmann.

Borrmann, Richard: Die Bau- und Kunstdenkmäler von Berlin, Berlin, Verlag von Julius Springer, 1893.

Eckhardt, Götz et al.: Schicksale deutscher Baudenkmale im zweiten Weltkrieg. Eine Dokumentation der Schäden und Totalverluste auf dem Gebiet der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, Berlin, Henschelverlag, 1978 (Vol. 1).

Förner, Stefan: „Weihnachtsbild von Antoine Pesne für drei Jahre in der Gemäldegalerie, 2009. URL: https://www.erzbistumberlin.de/medien/pressestelle/aktuelle-pressemeldungen/pressemeldung/news-title/weihnachtsbild-von-antoine-pesne-fuer-drei-jahre-in-der-berliner-gemaeldegalerie/ (last accessed: 15 March 2024).

Goetz, Christine / Beyer, Constantin: Das Sichtbare und das Unsichtbare. Kunst und Kirche im Erzbistum Berlin, Lindenberg i. Allgäu, Kunstverlag Josef Fink, 2016.

Haude, A. / Spencer, J. C.: Geschichte und Beschreibung der neu erbauten catholischen Kirche zu St. Hedwig in Berlin: nebst einer ausführlichen Erzählung und Erklärung aller Ceremonien welche bey der feyerlichen Einweihung derselben am ersten November 1773 beobachtet worden sind. Zweite, vermehrte und mit einer genauen und sauber in Kupfer gestochenen Abbildung dieser neuen Kirche gezierte Ausgabe, 2nd ed., Berlin, A. Haude und J.C. Spencer, 1775. URL: https://digital.zlb.de/viewer/image/34376925/1/ (last accessed: 15 March 2024).

Meier, Burkhard: Die Erneuerung der Katholischen St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale in Berlin, in: Die Denkmalpflege 34, 1932, pp. 143-148.

Michaelis, Rainer: „Pesne, Antoine“, in: Andreas Beyer / Bénédicte Savoy / Wolf Tegethoff (eds.): Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon- Internationale Künstlerdatenbank – Online, 2021. URL: https://www.degruyter.com/database/AKL/entry/_00141004/html (last accessed: 15 March 2024).

Reichsverband der Adreßbuch-Verleger: Berliner Adreßbuch 1932. Unter Benutzung amtlicher Quellen, Berlin, August Scherl Deutsche Adreßbuch Gesellschaft m. b. H., 1932. URL: https://digital.zlb.de/viewer/image/34115495_1932/2/ (last accessed: 15 March 2024).

Schultze, Friedrich / Meyer, Gustav: „Der Dachstuhl der St. Hedwigskirche in Berlin. Vom Regierungs-, und Baurat a. D. Hasak in Berlin“, in: Zentralblatt der Bauverwaltung, Berlin, 27 July 1918, pp. 298-300.

Walter, Karl: „Ein verschollener Pesne: die “Geburt Christi” in der St. Hedwigskirche wiederentdeckt“, in: Der Kunstwanderer: Zeitschrift für neue und alte Kunst, Kunstmarkt und Sammelwesen 1./2. Novemberheft, 1925, pp. 97-100.

Cite as: Virginie Mühlbrodt, 1921/2009: Antoine Pesne, The Adoration of the Shepherds and sketch (c. 1748), in: The Lives of Pictures | Das Leben der Bilder, edited by Matilde Cartolari, https://livespics.hypotheses.org/4219, published on 19.07.2025.

OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Matilde Cartolari (ed.) (July 19, 2025). 1921/2009: Antoine Pesne, The Adoration of the Shepherds and sketch (c. 1748). The Lives of Pictures | . Retrieved December 10, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/14e3f


You may also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.