Artwork
Resting Herd
Resting Herd is an ink print by the Baroque artist Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem. It dates from 1652 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Resting Herd is a 1652 etching counterproof by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, a prominent Dutch Golden Age painter and printmaker. This work exemplifies his contribution to the Dutch Italianate landscape tradition.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene, naturalistic scene of goats and sheep in a rocky hillside setting, characterized by a sense of tranquil coexistence among the animals. The composition reflects Berchem’s penchant for idealized, Arcadian landscapes.
Technique & Style
Berchem employed fine etching lines to achieve detailed textures, evident in the rendering of fur, rocks, and the animals’ ears. The style blends dynamism, with animals in various poses, and calmness, capturing a fleeting moment of rest.
History & Provenance
Created in 1652, Resting Herd is part of Berchem’s output influenced by his studies or travels in Italy, though specific provenance details for this piece are not provided.
Context
As a second-generation Dutch Italianate landscape artist, Berchem’s work, including Resting Herd, was influenced by classical Italian landscapes and pastoral themes, adapted through a distinctly Dutch artistic lens.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1 October 1620 – 18 February 1683) was a highly esteemed and prolific Dutch Golden Age painter of pastoral landscapes, populated with mythological or biblical figures, but also of a number of allegories and…
