Hirtin bei einem Esel sowie drei Kühen und drei Schafen 

Nicolaes Berchem made this drawing of a herder with a donkey, three cows, and three sheep at an unknown date, using graphite. Berchem specialized in pastoral scenes, often inspired by the Italian countryside, reflecting a broader interest in rural life among Dutch artists. In the Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age, the art market was booming, driven by a wealthy merchant class eager to decorate their homes with landscapes and scenes of everyday life. Artists like Berchem catered to this market, idealizing rural life and often incorporating Italianate elements to appeal to the tastes of the time. The subject of animal husbandry connects to the economic structures that influenced artistic production. To fully appreciate the artwork, we need to know how Dutch artists fitted into specific social classes, guilds, and patronage systems. We need to consider how the art market and trade shaped the production and consumption of art in the Netherlands. In doing so, we can understand the social and institutional contexts that gave rise to artists like Berchem.