Herdsmen c. 1885

This is Giovanni Fattori’s etching, "Herdsmen." Although undated, it likely stems from the late 19th century, a period of significant social change in Italy. Fattori, deeply affected by the poverty and marginalization he witnessed, often focused on rural life and the working class. Here, we see two herdsmen. One sits, head bowed in what might be fatigue or contemplation, while the other stands behind him. Their clothing, while rendered with detail, speaks to a life of labor and hardship. These are not romanticized figures, but rather, individuals worn by the weight of their circumstances. Fattori’s decision to depict these figures with such stark realism challenges the idealized representations often found in academic art. He draws our attention to the dignity, and perhaps the quiet desperation, inherent in their daily lives. How does Fattori help us see them not as types but as individuals shaped by their history and place? The etching serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of economic and social change, inviting us to consider the stories of those whose lives are often overlooked.