Schaapherder leunend tegen hek 1817 - 1828

Curator: This pastoral etching by Frédéric Théodore Faber, titled "Schaapherder leunend tegen hek", which translates to "Shepherd leaning against a fence," dates from between 1817 and 1828, and we find it in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The immediate feeling is one of quietude. There is a visual simplicity that borders on the idyllic, although a melancholic tinge seems to undercut that first impression. Curator: Let's observe the composition more closely. The eye is led across the gently rolling landscape by the placement of the sheep and then arrested by the figure of the shepherd. Notice the density of line used to render the forms. Editor: I’m struck by the possible subtext. While seemingly a benign portrayal of rural life, what does it say about social strata of the time? Does the image celebrate this harmony between humans and nature, or romanticize a system built on the labor of some for the benefit of others? Curator: An interesting angle! I, however, focus primarily on the interplay of light and shadow. Look how the hatching creates depth, the formal rigor evident in the artist’s skillful handling of the etching needle. The values! Editor: Values indeed! I see a potentially deliberate connection between the subjugation of both the sheep and the shepherd. One under the control of humans, the other subject to the landowners, all set within an ecosystem on which everyone depends but that only some actually own. Curator: Yes, there is definitely a thematic echo you may discover, though I tend to approach Faber's technique as central. But you're right. This print, while unassuming at first glance, can prompt more involved reflection about work and nature, Editor: Exactly. These depictions of rural life become valuable artifacts that both express and unconsciously conceal social complexities of their time.