Artwork
Shepherdess and a Flock of Sheep
Shepherdess and a Flock of Sheep is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Frans Soolmaker. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Jan Frans Soolmaker, a Flemish painter active around 1660, produced the oil painting *Shepherdess and a Flock of Sheep*. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age landscape tradition and is presently owned by the State Hermitage Museum.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a young woman in a white robe seated on a rock, gently directing a group of sheep across a verdant meadow. The animals are shown grazing, resting, and moving, creating a calm, pastoral atmosphere that reflects the period’s fascination with idealized rural life.
Technique & Style
Soolmaker employs chiaroscuro to separate the illuminated shepherdess and her flock from the darker foreground, enhancing three‑dimensionality. The landscape features a soft, gradient sky and scattered trees, while the handling of light on foliage and wool demonstrates the artist’s skill in rendering texture.
History & Provenance
Created in 1660, the painting was produced during Soolmaker’s career in Antwerp, Haarlem, and Amsterdam, where he followed the Italianizing pastoral style of Nicolaes Berchem. It entered the collection of the State Hermitage Museum, where it remains on display.
Context
The work aligns with mid‑17th‑century Dutch interest in Arcadian and equestrian themes, portraying an idealized countryside that served both decorative and moral purposes. Such scenes often symbolized harmony between humanity and nature.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Frans Soolmaker (1635 – after 1665, possibly 1686) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman, mainly known for his Italianizing landscapes, with equestrian and arcadian scenes.
