Artwork
Shepherd with Cow and Two Sheep
Shepherd with Cow and Two Sheep is an ink print by the Baroque artist Joachim Franz Beich. It dates from 1712 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Joachim Franz Beich’s etching titled Shepherd with Cow and Two Sheep dates from around 1712. Executed on laid paper, the work measures a modest size typical of early‑18th‑century prints and presents a tranquil pastoral scene rendered in monochrome ink.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a solitary shepherd who watches over a cow and two sheep beside a riverbank. A mature tree leans close to the water’s edge, while a modest structure and distant hills recede into the background, suggesting a peaceful, everyday moment in rural life.
Technique & Style
Beich employs delicate line work to model light and shadow, allowing areas of light wash to suggest depth without resorting to heavy cross‑hatching. The subtle gradations of tone create an atmospheric quality, while the careful rendering of foliage and animal forms demonstrates the artist’s command of the etching medium.
History & Provenance
The print originates from the early 1700s, a period when German artists frequently produced pastoral subjects for the burgeoning market of prints. Although specific ownership records are scarce, the work is catalogued among Beich’s known prints and appears in several collections of early modern German graphic art.
Artist & collection
