About this artwork
During the Renaissance and early modern periods, pastoral motifs (such as shepherds herding livestock) became quite popular, as they had been in antiquity. Pastoral images portray an idyllic fantasy of outdoor living, made to appeal to an urban audience far removed from the realities of agrarian life. One popular pastoral theme was a shepherd playing a flute for a young woman, which could have erotic undertones. Here a young man serenades not only a maiden, but also a menagerie of animals including a cow, a donkey, a goat, and a sheep.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Nicolaes Berchem
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Title
- Shepherd Playing a Flute
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Origin
- Holland
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Date
- Made 1644–1645
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Medium
- Etching in black on cream laid paper
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Dimensions
- 185 × 139 mm
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Credit Line
- John H. Wrenn Memorial Collection
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Reference Number
- 1926.1888
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/32713/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
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