Pensant-ils à ce mouton? (Are They Thinking of the Sheep) 1780 - 1800

Editor: Here we have “Pensant-ils à ce mouton? (Are They Thinking of the Sheep)", an engraving from somewhere between 1780 and 1800, by Madame Jourdan. It’s held at the Met. The mood strikes me as idyllic, almost staged, but the sheep… I’m not sure what to make of that sheep. What do you see here? Curator: The sheep becomes a focal point for our gaze, doesn’t it? Notice its languid posture mirroring, perhaps ironically, that of the lovers in their supposed reverie. But look closer – what is a sheep in art always symbolic of? In the Christian tradition especially? Editor: Innocence, vulnerability… a flock, following. Are you saying this seemingly innocent scene may hold a darker undercurrent? Curator: Consider the title. The question isn't just whimsical. "Are they thinking of the sheep?" – Are they aware of the potential sacrifices, the innocence lost in their romantic dalliance? This era romanticized the pastoral, but also harbored anxieties about societal structures and moral codes. Look at the looming tree – is it protective, or concealing? Editor: So the seemingly picturesque landscape, the embracing couple… they could be stand-ins for larger anxieties about societal shifts or lost innocence. Curator: Precisely. Jourdan employs the visual vocabulary of Romanticism – the idealized landscape, the intimate moment – but infuses it with a questioning gaze, disrupting the easy harmony. What stories do we tell ourselves, and what truths lie hidden beneath the surface? Editor: That gives me so much to think about. It’s amazing how the presence of the sheep shifts the entire context. I thought it was just a nice background detail! Curator: Never underestimate the power of a symbol. Art speaks in layered voices; it’s our job to listen closely.