At first glance, this could be a rustic genre scene, but the parting clouds reveal an angel who announces the birth of Christ. The animals seem more alert to this momentous message than do the busy shepherd and his wife, who dozes in a hut made of straw. Cornelis Safleven lived in Rotterdam and may have known Rembrandt’s work through the master’s followers in nearby Dordrecht. Shared interests include expressive brushwork, muted colour and dramatic effects of light.