Jeunes bergers des environs de Chieti (Shepherd Children outside Chieti) 1875

Francesco Paolo Michetti created this print, "Shepherd Children outside Chieti," capturing a scene that reflects both the idyllic and the harsh realities of rural life in late 19th-century Italy. Michetti, rooted in the cultural context of a newly unified Italy, often depicted the lives of the working class, and here, he focuses on childhood within that sphere. This image invites us to consider the roles of children in agricultural societies, where labor and life are deeply intertwined. The children’s placement in the composition and the viewer’s angle is aligned with the working class, creating an immediate, intimate experience. Michetti’s work captures a fleeting moment in time, but also speaks to enduring themes of childhood, labor, and the intimate connection between humans and the natural world. It remains a poignant reflection on the social fabric of its time, inviting us to reflect on our own relationship to labor, childhood, and the land.