Ruhender Hirte der römischen Campagna 1851

Ludwig Thiersch captured this shepherd of the Roman Campagna in watercolor around 1851. The staff he holds, a seemingly simple tool, is an ancient symbol, resonating through millennia. In antiquity, the shepherd’s staff was not merely a tool, but an emblem of guidance and authority, wielded by kings and gods alike. Think of the scepter, descended from this very form, or the crook of Osiris, signifying dominion over the underworld. This motif, charged with the weight of history, evolves into the Christian bishop's crosier, a symbol of spiritual leadership and care for the flock. The shepherd, then, embodies a lineage of leadership. He is a guardian of the land, a timeless figure whose presence evokes a powerful sense of continuity and tradition, unconsciously stirring our collective memory.