A Young Woman as a Shepherdess 1635 - 1660

Govert Flinck made this painting of a young woman, likely in Amsterdam, using oil paints on wood. The smoothness of the surface is deceptive; up close, you can see the extraordinary amount of labor involved in building up the image, layer upon layer. Paint was a costly material in the 17th century, and the skilled application would have taken considerable time. The artist paid careful attention to rendering the effects of light on different textures, from the translucent veil to the gold embroidery, and the soft skin of the sitter. While the woman is dressed as a shepherdess, complete with a staff and garland of flowers, the painting speaks to the complex relationship between labor, leisure, and social class. The sitter is obviously not a real shepherdess, but someone who is play-acting at being one. It challenges the traditional distinctions between fine art and other forms of skilled work.