The mirror of life (And what one does, and the others do) 1898

Pellizza da Volpedo painted “The mirror of life (And what one does, and the others do)” with oil on canvas. The image shows a flock of sheep in the Italian countryside, with a title that suggests a deeper meaning than just a pastoral scene. The "mirror of life" concept points to a society in which individual actions and collective behavior are intimately connected. Painted in Italy, the artwork could be commenting on the social structures of the time, perhaps hinting at the relationship between the individual and the collective, or the role of conformity in society. Is the black sheep in the painting a comment on nonconformity? Historians would seek out letters, diaries, or writings by Pellizza, to understand his social and political ideas. The history of rural Italy in the late 19th century might provide a context for understanding the relationship between individual labor and collective identity.