Artwork
Shepherdess with her Flock
Shepherdess with her Flock is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Simon van der Does. It dates from 1708 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Simon van der Does painted Shepherdess with her Flock in 1708. The oil work is part of the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. It depicts a young woman tending a group of sheep in a tranquil countryside setting, rendered with careful attention to light and landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a shepherdess seated on the ground, clothed in a long, flowing robe and displaying a calm, attentive expression. Around her, the flock is shown in various states—some grazing, others looking toward her—suggesting a harmonious relationship between human caretaker and the animals under her watch.
Technique & Style
Van der Does employs chiaroscuro to model forms, using contrasts of light and shadow to give the figures a three‑dimensional presence. The background recedes into a softly illuminated hillside dotted with trees, while the foreground figures are highlighted, creating a sense of depth that guides the eye toward the shepherdess and her flock.
Provenance
Since its creation in the early eighteenth century, the painting has remained in the public domain, eventually entering the holdings of Denmark’s national gallery. Its presence in the Statens Museum for Kunst reflects the institution’s commitment to representing Dutch genre painting of the period.
Artist & collection
