Liggend schaap Possibly 1828 - 1837

'Liggend schaap', or 'Lying Sheep' as we say in English, is a print made by Benjamin Phelps Gibbon during the first half of the 19th century. During this period, farm animals were often depicted as symbols of rural life, and the art market was dominated by the reproduction of idealized images of the British countryside. Gibbon’s sheep, rendered with fine lines, sits squarely between sentimentality and observation. Sheep have long carried religious and cultural significance and were often associated with passivity. What I appreciate in this image is the sheep’s gaze. It regards us directly, suggesting an awareness that disrupts such passive symbolism. There is a stillness to the composition which resonates with the tranquility associated with pastoral life. However, I find myself drawn to the sheep’s slightly melancholic expression, which hints at the more challenging realities of rural existence. It encourages us to consider the complex relationship between humanity, nature and labor.