The Annunciation to the Shepherds by the Choir of Angels

In the dark night, the shepherds sitting around a fire are startled by angelic choirs in a brightly lit sky. They proclaim 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 is mentioned on scrolls VI and IX. Latin inscription above the scene.