A shepherd holding a lion on a leash in the foreground, in the middle ground the shepherd stands in a meadow surrounded by wild beasts, in the background the shepherd is seated on a rock with the lion at his side; from 'Recueil d'estampes d'après les plus beaux tableaux et d'après les plus beaux desseins qui sont en France, Cabinet Crozat' after a drawing by Baldassare Peruzzi 1724 - 1769

This print, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was made after a drawing by Baldassare Peruzzi, and etched by Anne Claude Philippe Caylus. Created without a specific date, the image encapsulates the social and cultural position of shepherds, who appear in classical art as symbols of a simple life close to nature. Here, a shepherd holds a lion on a leash, a striking image of dominance and control. In the middle ground, the shepherd stands in a meadow surrounded by wild beasts, and further back, he sits with the lion at his side. The sequential portrayal of the shepherd’s increasing control over the wildness of the lion can be seen as the domination of humanity over nature. The print raises questions about the subjugation of the natural world and the narratives of power we construct. It is both a reflection of its time and an invitation to consider our relationship with the environment today.