Bannat Shepherd, Left Bank of the Danube 1838

Auguste Raffet's lithograph "Bannat Shepherd, Left Bank of the Danube" (1838) portrays a shepherd standing on a rocky hillside, overseeing his flock of sheep. The work, now housed in The Art Institute of Chicago, captures a moment of peaceful solitude in the Bannat region of the Danube River. Raffet, a prolific artist known for his depictions of military life and everyday scenes, skillfully captures the shepherd's rugged attire and the dramatic landscape of the Danube valley through subtle tonal variations and precise detail. The lithographic technique, which employs a stone plate to transfer ink onto paper, provides a stark yet evocative image of the shepherd and his surroundings.