Sheet of Sketches 1735

This is a sheet of sketches by François Boucher, made with pen and black ink. Two men are depicted in repose, their figures rendered with the Rococo artist's characteristic fluidity. Note the recurring motif of the shepherd's staff, a symbol echoing through art history. We see it in classical depictions of Hermes, guiding souls, and in Christian art, where it signifies Christ as the Good Shepherd, protector of his flock. In Boucher's sketch, the staff is less a symbol of divine guidance and more an emblem of rustic life, yet it retains a connection to the pastoral ideal. The staff, a simple tool, becomes laden with symbolic weight—a reminder of humanity's connection to nature and the archetypal role of protector. These men, in their quiet contemplation, evoke a sense of timelessness, engaging our collective memory of simpler, perhaps idealized, times. The symbol resurfaces, constantly evolving.