About this artwork
Early in his career, Paulus Potter was strongly influenced by the etchings of Gerrit Claesz. Bleker (1625–1665), which featured pastoral scenes of rustic shepherds and domestic animals. Potter favored works of this nature himself, producing both prints and drawings. Here he examined the relationship between the shepherd and his sheep, showing the farmer calming his herd by playing a flute. The beasts, in return, remain near their caretaker, despite the vast countryside in which they can roam. The sheep sit contentedly in the shade while a farmer plows the land in the distance, allowing Potter to convey the intimate connection of man and animal to the land.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Paulus Potter
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Title
- The Shepherd
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Place
- Holland (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- Made 1639–1649
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Medium
- Etching on ivory laid paper
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Dimensions
- 18.1 × 26.8 cm (7 3/16 × 10 9/16 in.)
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Credit Line
- Bernard F. Rogers Collection
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Reference Number
- 1935.429
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/22112/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
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