The Annunciation to the Shepherds by a Choir of Angels

In the dark night, the shepherds sitting around a fire are startled by angelic choirs in a brightly illuminated sky. They announce the birth of Christ: in the center at the bottom, an angel with a scroll bearing the text GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO, PAX HOMINIBUS BONAE VOLUNTATIS. Above him, nine angels singing the GLORIA together. Each angel holds a scroll with the musical notation of his part. The music is by the Flemish composer Andreas Pévernage (1543–1591), who composed the motet specifically for this print. His name appears on scrolls VI and IX. Latin inscription above the scene.