Schaapherder met zijn kudde bij een schaapskooi c. 1884 - 1887

Willem Witsen rendered this drawing of a shepherd and his flock with crayon. The image resonates with motifs of pastoral care seen across millennia. Consider the shepherd, a figure who has journeyed through countless narratives – from the Good Shepherd in Christian iconography, who carries the lost lamb on his shoulders, to the Arcadian shepherds of classical antiquity, living in harmony with nature. The shepherd’s crook, a simple tool, evolves into a symbol of guidance and authority, echoed in the scepters of kings and the staffs of religious leaders. These objects aren't mere instruments; they are vessels of meaning, imbued with the power to lead and protect. This resonates deeply within our collective consciousness, evoking a sense of nostalgia for a simpler, more connected existence. The landscape is more than just a backdrop, it is a stage where humans and animals coexist in an age-old tableau. It illustrates how symbols persist, shape-shifting through time, carrying echoes of past meanings into the present.