Artwork
Shepherd Speaking to a Peasant Woman
Shepherd Speaking to a Peasant Woman is a gouache print by the Baroque artist Francesco Londonio. It dates from 1762 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Shepherd Speaking to a Peasant Woman is a 1762 etching heightened with white gouache on blue laid paper by Francesco Londonio, an Italian artist active in Milan during the late-Baroque/Rococo period.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene, everyday interaction between a shepherd and a seated peasant woman, embodying Londonio’s characteristic focus on rustic and pastoral themes popular among Northern Italy’s wealthy patrons.
Technique & Style
Londonio combined etching (acid-etched lines on metal) with drypoint (freehand-scraped lines) to achieve a distinctive, scratchy, handmade appearance. White gouache accents on blue paper enhance the figures’ visibility.
History & Provenance
Created in 1762, the work reflects Londonio’s training under Ferdinando Porta, Giovanni Battista Sassi, and Benigno Bossi. His style and subject matter catered to the genre preferences of Northern Italy’s elite.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francesco Londonio (1723–1783) was an Italian painter, engraver, and scenographer, active mainly in his native Milan in a late-Baroque or Rococo style.
