Seated Old Man 

Francesco Londonio's "Seated Old Man" presents us with an archetypal figure, rendered with etching on paper. The old man, staff in hand, sits amidst his flock, evoking images of the Good Shepherd, a motif stretching back to early Christian art. Consider this pastoral scene against the backdrop of antiquity. The shepherd, a symbol of guidance and protection, echoes through time. We find him in ancient Near Eastern art, a king tending to his people, and in the Greco-Roman world, a bucolic figure embodying simpler virtues. The presence of the child beside the seated man introduces an emotional depth, hinting at familial continuity and the transmission of wisdom. Think of similar pairings across cultures—the wise elder and the eager apprentice, embodiments of tradition and the future. Such images stir our collective memory, tapping into subconscious desires for connection. The shepherd's enduring presence in art is no accident; it mirrors our innate longing for guidance and protection, a cycle that resurfaces time and again.