Who painted Standing Shepherd?

Standing Shepherd was painted by Francesco Londonio in 1760.

Where can I see Standing Shepherd?

Standing Shepherd is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Standing Shepherd?

Standing Shepherd is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Standing Shepherd

Francesco Londonio , 1760

Standing Shepherd is a gouache print by the Baroque artist Francesco Londonio. It dates from 1760 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1760, *Standing Shepherd* is an etching enhanced with white gouache on blue laid paper. The composition presents a pastoral scene in which a woman, dressed in a dark coat with vivid orange sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat, guides three freshly shorn sheep using a long staff. A distant rider on horseback observes, while a leaf‑less tree frames the right side of the image.

Subject & Meaning

The work illustrates a rustic, everyday activity—shearing and herding—highlighting the relationship between humans, livestock, and the landscape. By placing a female figure at the center, the print underscores the role of women in pastoral labor, while the distant rider adds a subtle narrative of social hierarchy within the countryside.

Technique & Style

Londonio employed traditional etching to render fine linear details, then applied white gouache to accentuate highlights against the cool blue tone of the paper. The contrast between the white strokes and the blue background creates a crisp, luminous effect, while the delicate rendering of the sheep’s shorn patches demonstrates meticulous observation.

History & Provenance

The Italian artist Francesco Londonio, trained in Milan under Ferdinando Porta, Giovanni Battista Sassi, and engraver Benigno Bossi, produced this print during his mature period. Known for genre scenes that appealed to affluent Northern Italian patrons, Londonio’s work reflects his travels to Rome and Naples and his broader interest in pastoral subjects.

Context

*Standing Shepherd* belongs to the late‑Baroque/Rococo tradition in which everyday rural life became a favored subject for decorative art. In 18th‑century Milan, such images catered to a market of wealthy collectors who prized idyllic representations of the countryside as symbols of virtue and leisure.

Artist & collection

Artist

Francesco Londonio

Francesco Londonio (1723–1783) was an Italian painter, engraver, and scenographer, active mainly in his native Milan in a late-Baroque or Rococo style.