Landscape with Shepherd and Shepherdess 1663 - 1733

Gerard Hoet painted this small oil on canvas, "Landscape with Shepherd and Shepherdess," sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Hoet’s idyllic scene makes use of traditional painting techniques, layering thin glazes of pigment to create luminous depth, and the illusion of form. While the subject matter and composition may seem conventional, the way Hoet has worked with the oil paint is significant. The material has an inherent viscosity, allowing for seamless blending and subtle gradations of tone. The artist’s hand is relatively undetectable, smoothing over any trace of facture. This was a deliberate choice, reflecting the values of the courtly culture for which the painting was made. Yet even here, we can detect a nod to the world of labor. The shepherd’s staff, after all, is a humble tool, a reminder of the work required to sustain even the most refined society. By attending to the materiality of paint and the depiction of labor, we can appreciate how "Landscape with Shepherd and Shepherdess" reflects both the aspirations and the underlying realities of its time.