Two Shepherds and a Boy 1781 - 1783

John Skippe created "Two Shepherds and a Boy" using chiaroscuro woodcut, a technique that plays dramatically with light and shadow. The composition, rendered in earthy tones, centres on a cluster of figures set against a backdrop of architectural ruins. This contrast between the organic forms of the figures and the geometric shapes of the architecture creates a dynamic tension. Skippe’s use of line and form invites us to consider the underlying structures of representation itself. The figures are not simply shepherds and a boy, but rather, they exist as nodes within a larger semiotic system. The classical ruins, rendered through a limited palette, evoke a sense of historical distance, whilst the male figures are presented with a homoerotic gaze. The visual language challenges fixed meanings, inviting viewers to engage with the artwork's structural components and historical contexts. This interplay between form and content destabilizes established meanings and provokes ongoing interpretation.