Artwork

Shepherdess with Cattle

Shepherdess with Cattle, by Unknown, 1650
Shepherdess with Cattle, by Unknown, 1650

Shepherdess with Cattle is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Created around the middle of the 17th century, Shepherdess with Cattle is an oil painting attributed to the artist known as 2014_person. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed as an example of rural genre painting from the period.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a solitary woman standing in an open field, her posture relaxed as she leans against a wooden fence. Dressed in a pale shirt and dark trousers, she watches a small herd of sheep and cattle nearby. The quiet gaze suggests contemplation of daily labor and the connection between human caretaker and livestock.

Technique & Style

The artist employs a strong contrast of light and dark, reminiscent of chiaroscuro, to model the figures and landscape. Sunlight pierces the cloudy sky, illuminating the shepherdess and parts of the animals while deep shadows recede into the background trees. This dramatic lighting enhances the sense of stillness and depth within the scene.

History & Provenance

The painting dates to approximately 1650 and has been held by the Museum of Ethnography for several decades, though the exact acquisition details remain undocumented. Its attribution to 2014_person is based on stylistic analysis and comparative research with other works from the same period.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known