Artwork
Landschaft mit Vieh und Hirtin
Landschaft mit Vieh und Hirtin is an unspecified painting by the Barbizon school artist Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer. It dates from 1716 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer’s 1716 oil painting, titled *Landschaft mit Vieh und Hirtin*, is part of the collection of Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. The work presents a pastoral landscape dominated by a central shepherdess surrounded by goats and sheep, set against a gently rolling hillside and scattered trees. The composition balances figures and scenery to convey a tranquil rural atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, a shepherdess in a white tunic and dark breeches, attends to her flock, embodying the ideal of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. The inclusion of both goats and sheep suggests a mixed pastoral economy, while the calm expression and relaxed posture evoke themes of peace, stewardship, and the pastoral idyll common in early‑18th‑century visual culture.
Technique & Style
Lauterer employs a restrained chiaroscuro, using soft transitions of light and shadow to model the figures and foliage. The illumination falls gently on the shepherdess, creating a subtle focal point, while the surrounding landscape recedes in cooler tones. Brushwork is smooth and detailed, particularly in the rendering of animal fur and foliage, reflecting the academic approach of the period.
History & Provenance
Created in 1716, the painting entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings at an unspecified later date, becoming part of the museum’s extensive Baroque and Rococo collection. Its provenance prior to acquisition remains undocumented in public records, but its preservation within the museum ensures continued scholarly access and public display.
Artist & collection
Artist
Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer (1700–1733) was an artist, born in Vienna.
