Liegender, auffahrender Hirte aus der _Verkündigung_ als Aktfigur, teils bekleidet c. 1856 - 1857

Victor Müller made this partially clothed figure study of a reclining, rising shepherd for his “Annunciation” painting with pencil. It was created in Germany in the mid-19th century, a time when German artists were self-consciously trying to revive painting in the style of the old masters. They looked to the Italian Renaissance for inspiration, as we can see in the religious theme of the Annunciation and the artist's interest in representing the human body, evident in the figure's studied pose. At the time, publicly exhibited art was supposed to be morally uplifting. Müller complicates this idea by including the figure's genitals, which would have been considered controversial. Looking at preparatory sketches like these helps us understand the cultural and institutional forces at play in creating a painting in its time. It's important to look beyond the finished product to understand the artist's process and the social context in which they were working.