Plate 14: shepherdess herding goats, from 'Various animals' (Diversi animali) 1636 - 1646

Stefano della Bella created this print of a shepherdess herding goats as part of his 'Various Animals' series. Made in Italy, the image reflects a fascination with pastoral life. It's important to remember that Bella worked for the Medici court in Florence. His prints, though seemingly simple, were made for an elite audience. This image presents an idealised version of rural labour, filtering it through the aesthetic preferences of the aristocracy. The shepherdess appears graceful, her clothing neat and classical. The landscape is tidy and the goats are clean. We can understand this work better by looking at the history of landscape painting and the aristocratic patronage systems of the time. Prints like these were collected and displayed, signs of refined taste. They also speak to the ways in which power is often sanitised, the realities of hard labour replaced by pleasing imagery.