Plaque (one of a pair) 1750 - 1760

This plaque was crafted by the Alcora Manufactory, portraying a pastoral scene rich with symbolism. We see a shepherd, lazily reclined, staff in hand, accompanied by his flock and a watchful bull. The shepherd, a recurring figure throughout art history, embodies tranquility and simple virtue, echoing the classical ideal of Arcadia. The bull, however, carries a deeper resonance. In ancient Crete, it was a sacred animal, linked to virility and power, often associated with deities. The juxtaposition of the shepherd and the bull is intriguing. It reflects a tension between the domestic and the wild, the cultivated and the untamed. The shepherd's relaxed pose suggests a mastery over nature, yet the bull's imposing presence hints at an underlying, primal force. Such imagery taps into our collective memory, evoking a longing for a harmonious existence with nature, even as it acknowledges the potent energies that lie beneath the surface. The shepherd and the bull, archetypes of serenity and strength, continue to resonate across time, reminding us of the enduring human quest to reconcile our inner selves with the world around us.