Pastoral with goat herd and goats, from the series Sixteen Peasant Subjects 1615 - 1684

Cornelis Bloemaert made this etching, “Pastoral with goat herd and goats,” sometime in the 17th century. It is from a series called "Sixteen Peasant Subjects.” The image presents a vision of rural life in the Netherlands. Here we see a shepherd at rest with his goats. Bloemaert gives us a scene that idealizes the simplicity of country life. At this time, cities were growing and becoming centers of trade and culture. But this print looks back to a time when life was supposedly more simple. The Latin inscription below the image translates roughly as “Do not approach the court if you love different things. Let the shady grove grant you a cave.” In other words, it suggests finding contentment away from the complexities of courtly life. To understand this image better, we might look at the literature of the period or explore the ways that class distinctions were evolving in Dutch society. We can then understand this artwork not as a simple depiction of peasant life, but as a reflection of a rapidly changing society.