Landscape with Cattle 1777

Curator: This is "Landscape with Cattle" by Robert Daudet, born in 1737. It’s currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's a peaceful scene, almost pastoral, but those Roman ruins in the background hint at something grander, something lost. Curator: Exactly. The animals and figures are nestled amongst classical ruins—a meditation on time and nature, perhaps, or the transient glory of empires. Editor: I see the donkey there as a symbol of humble persistence, while the cattle embody a sort of serene indifference. Curator: Daudet’s printmaking technique adds a wonderful texture, doesn’t it? He allows the landscape to almost melt in front of us. Editor: A reminder that nature reclaims all. It’s quiet, but profound.