Artwork
Sleeping Shepherd
Sleeping Shepherd is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jan Smees. It dates from 1707 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Sleeping Shepherd is an early eighteenth‑century print executed in etching by the Dutch artist Jan Smees in 1707. Rendered in monochrome, the work presents a tranquil rural tableau centered on a solitary shepherd who has reclined beneath a tree, surrounded by modest architectural elements and rolling landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a fleeting moment of repose in an agrarian setting. The shepherd’s relaxed posture and the quiet surroundings evoke themes of simplicity and the restorative pause within the rhythms of pastoral labor, suggesting an idealized vision of country life.
Technique & Style
Smees employed the etching process, incising fine lines into a copper plate to achieve delicate textures. The rendering of stone, foliage and fabric relies on varied line density, creating a sense of depth and materiality that approximates the tactile qualities of the depicted surfaces.
History & Provenance
Created in 1707, the print belongs to the early modern period of Dutch printmaking, a time when etching was increasingly used for detailed landscape and genre subjects. Specific ownership records are scarce, but the work is representative of Smees’s output and the broader market for affordable, reproducible images of rural scenes.
Artist & collection
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