Landscape with Shepherds

Zuccarelli employed a layered approach: initial sketches in black chalk were overlaid with brown ink and a wash to model forms, while white gouache was applied to accent light areas. This method produces soft transitions in foliage and terrain, characteristic of mid‑18th‑century Italian landscape drawing, and creates a sense of atmospheric depth.

Zuccarelli, an Italian painter who settled in Venice, became the city’s leading landscape artist in the mid‑1700s. His Arcadian visions were widely collected across Europe, especially in England, where he spent significant periods. The drawing reflects his collaborative practice and the patronage he enjoyed from aristocratic clients.

The work belongs to the late Baroque transitioning toward Rococo, a period marked by lighter palettes and idyllic subject matter. While retaining the Baroque emphasis on composition and movement, Zuccarelli’s treatment of light and gentle scenery anticipates the more decorative sensibilities of the Rococo.