Twee liggende schapen, een liggende geit en een staand lam bij romeins aquaduct c. 1668 - 1670

Johann Heinrich Roos created this etching of two lying sheep, a lying goat, and a standing lamb near a Roman aqueduct in the 17th century. Roos, a German artist, specialized in animal depictions, a genre that gained popularity as cities grew and people became more distanced from rural life. This etching invites us to reflect on the relationship between humanity and nature, and the idealized pastoral scenes that were in vogue at the time. Here, the animals are not merely subjects, but seem to exist in a dialogue with the ruins of the aqueduct. Roos subtly comments on the transience of human endeavor against the backdrop of the natural world. He places a certain emotional weight on the animals. They are emblems of innocence and simplicity, perhaps critiquing the complexities of human society. The aqueduct in the background stands as a symbol of human ingenuity but also of decay, reminding us of the ephemeral nature of civilization. Roos’s work encourages us to consider our place within the larger ecosystem.