Art Institute of Chicago

Shepherd Playing a Flute

Nicolaes Berchem

Date

1644/45

Medium

Etching in black on cream laid paper

Culture

Holland

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

During the Renaissance and early modern periods, pastoral motifs (such as shepherds herding livestock) became quite popular, as they had been in antiquity. Pastoral images portray an idyllic fantasy of outdoor living, made to appeal to an urban audience far removed from the realities of agrarian life. One popular pastoral theme was a shepherd playing a flute for a young woman, which could have erotic undertones. Here a young man serenades not only a maiden, but also a menagerie of animals including a cow, a donkey, a goat, and a sheep.

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