Hirtenknabe in der römischen Campagna 

Leopold Pollak created this pencil drawing, "Hirtenknabe in der römischen Campagna," which translates to "Shepherd Boy in the Roman Campagna." Pollak, born in Bohemia in 1806, situates his subject within the romanticized and pastoral Italian countryside. We see a young boy, likely of working-class origins, his bare feet suggesting a life lived close to the land. His identity as a shepherd is almost theatrical. His clothing and instrument are a costume to be worn for the enjoyment of wealthy Europeans on their grand tours. Consider how Pollak's work flattens any real sense of the boy's identity. He is picturesque. This image emphasizes the cultural fascination with and exoticization of the rural working class. The drawing offers us a window into the complex interplay between identity, representation, and the romantic gaze.