Herderspaar staande voor een boom 1627 - 1678

Jan Thomas created this print of a herderpaar, or shepherd couple, using etching techniques, sometime in the 17th century. In the Dutch Golden Age, idyllic images of rural life were popular among city dwellers. Artists often depicted shepherds and shepherdesses in idealized settings, far removed from the realities of agricultural labor. The figures' elaborate clothing and affected poses contrast with the common perception of the working class. This romanticized view of rural life served to reinforce social hierarchies. By studying prints like these in the Rijksmuseum's collection and by researching the social and economic conditions of 17th-century Netherlands, we can gain a better understanding of how art both reflected and shaped the values of its time.