Herders met vee steken een rivier over 1748 - 1815

This print by Emmanuel Jean de Ghendt depicts herders crossing a river with their livestock. The idyllic scene presents a piper atop a cow, and a woman assisting a calf, symbols deeply embedded in the pastoral tradition. The figure of the pipe player, often associated with Arcadian shepherds, echoes through the ages, from ancient Greek bucolic poetry to Renaissance paintings. Their music is a call back to a simpler, more harmonious existence, free from the burdens of civilization. Similarly, the nurturing woman and her connection with animals is an echo of classical representations of maternal figures and fertility. These symbols are not merely aesthetic choices; they tap into a collective memory, a longing for a lost connection with nature. This image, like those before it, reminds us of the cyclical nature of human desires, ever returning to an imagined past. It evokes a powerful psychological resonance, engaging us on a subconscious level with archetypes that continue to shape our understanding of the world.