Who painted A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook?

A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook was painted by Salomon Gessner in 1764.

Where can I see A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook?

A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook?

A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook?

Museum-quality prints of A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook

Salomon Gessner , 1764

A Shepherd and a Young Woman With Their Feet in a Brook is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Salomon Gessner. It dates from 1764 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Salomon Gessner’s 1764 etching, rendered on laid paper tinted a pale blue, presents a quiet pastoral tableau. A shepherd and a young woman sit beside a shallow brook, their feet immersed in the water, while the shepherd gently plays a flute. The composition is framed by verdant foliage and distant grazing animals, creating a scene of gentle repose.

Subject & Meaning

The work juxtaposes human leisure with the natural environment, suggesting a harmonious relationship between people and the countryside. The shepherd’s music and the woman’s contemplative pose evoke themes of simplicity, pastoral innocence, and the restorative qualities of nature, common motifs in eighteenth‑century depictions of rural life.

Technique & Style

Executed as an etching, the image relies on fine line work to convey texture in the foliage and water. The pale blue tint applied to the paper softens the tonal range, lending the scene a muted, atmospheric quality. Gessner’s handling of light and shadow reflects the delicate sensibilities of the late Rococo moving toward early Romantic aesthetics.

History & Provenance

Created in 1764, the print was part of Gessner’s broader output of pastoral subjects, which were widely circulated in the German-speaking regions. Original impressions remain in several European print collections, though specific ownership histories for individual copies are sparsely documented.

Context

During the mid‑eighteenth century, artists increasingly idealized rural life as an antidote to urban sophistication. Gessner, also known for his literary contributions, incorporated this cultural trend, aligning his visual work with contemporary tastes for bucolic serenity and emotional resonance.