Geitenhoeders onderweg met hun kudde bij Cava 1824 - 1826

Antoine Pierre Mongin created this print depicting goatherds and their herd near Cava, Italy. Mongin lived through a period of immense social upheaval in Europe and was working during a time of great change in artistic representation. This print invites us to consider the romanticization of rural life against the backdrop of urbanization and industrialization in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The image evokes a sense of pastoral harmony, yet it's crucial to remember that the lives of goatherds were likely filled with hardship and uncertainty. The clothing and tools depicted may reflect the traditional attires and implements of the working class but could also reflect the cultural stereotypes of this time. Consider the ways in which this artwork both reflects and shapes perceptions of rural life and labor. What does this image tell us about the artist's perspective, and how might it have been received by audiences of the time?