['"Shepherds and Shepherdesses in a Landscape', ' Crowning of Mirtillo by Amarillis "'] 1735

Hieronymus van der Mij painted "Shepherds and Shepherdesses in a Landscape, Crowning of Mirtillo by Amarillis" with oil on canvas. It hangs today in the Rijksmuseum. This pastoral scene, popular in the Netherlands during the 18th century, evokes a world of leisure and idealized nature. Yet, it's less about literal shepherds and more about the aspirations of the wealthy merchant class. Van der Mij here borrows from classical mythology and theater, transposing the values of this elite social group onto a bucolic fantasy. Consider the figures' elaborate dress, at odds with any practical understanding of rural life. The setting itself presents a carefully manicured wilderness, reflecting the Dutch taste for controlled landscapes. This art reflects the institutional values of its time; the wealthy using art to legitimize their status, and the institutions of art upholding that system. To truly understand paintings like this, historians delve into archives, literature, and social histories. We can examine the interplay between art and social class, discovering how artists like van der Mij both reflected and shaped the cultural values of their time.