Meisje als herderin 1875 - 1913

Elisa Weiler created this print called ‘Girl as Shepherdess’ using etching techniques. The image presents a young girl in what looks like pastoral attire, but what might this idealized depiction tell us about the society in which it was made? During the 18th and 19th centuries, there was a vogue for representing members of the aristocracy in idealized rural settings, and the shepherdess was a popular motif. Although the date of this image is not known, it seems to reflect a nostalgia for rural life that grew as industrialization progressed across Europe. But in what ways was this artificial? Through careful historical research, we can better understand the ways in which images like these might romanticize social realities in a way that deflects attention from the inequalities of modern life. This etching offers a particularly interesting case study, as Weiler was a female artist whose work deserves further study and appreciation.