Liegender Hirte aus der _Verkündigung_ als Aktfigur in Rückansicht c. 1856 - 1857

Victor Müller sketched this nude figure in preparation for his painting of the Annunciation. The shepherd, typically a symbol of pastoral innocence and humble devotion, is rendered here in a classical style. The reclining pose invites us to consider its echoes across art history. Think of the sleeping Ariadne, abandoned on Naxos, or even the reclining nudes of the Renaissance. This pose, so often associated with vulnerability and exposure, here takes on a complex tension, given the figure’s role as a shepherd in the Annunciation. How do we reconcile the traditional symbolism of the shepherd with this classical, nude form? It is through the lens of cultural memory. The symbol of the shepherd, laden with Christian meaning, meets the classical motif of the reclining figure, creating a powerful, subconscious resonance. Müller evokes the emotional weight of both traditions, engaging us on a deep, psychological level. Thus, the image evolves, blending old and new, sacred and profane, in an endless cycle of reinterpretation.