Landscape with Herdsmen, Sheep and Cows Around a Fountain 1670 - 1719

Pieter Bout created this ink drawing, “Landscape with Herdsmen, Sheep, and Cows Around a Fountain,” in the late 17th or early 18th century. The scene reflects a merging of classical imagery with daily life. We see farm animals and workers gathered at a fountain adorned with a classical sculpture, perhaps Bacchus, god of wine, sat atop a barrel. Bout was Flemish, and this image presents a romanticized view of country life, maybe hinting at the growing divide between urban and rural experiences in that time. Was this image created for country estate owners, or for sale to city dwellers? To better understand Bout's world, we might explore Flemish social structures of the time. Archival records of art sales and estate inventories could reveal how such images functioned within the broader culture. Through careful research, the drawing provides insights into the social and economic landscape of its time.