A Sheepfold at Nightfall c. 1870 - 1904

Editor: We're looking at Théophile de Bock's "A Sheepfold at Nightfall," probably painted sometime between 1870 and 1904. It's an oil painting, and something about the muted palette makes it feel so intimate. What captures your attention when you look at this piece? Curator: Well, I think it’s important to consider where and when de Bock was working. This piece engages with a larger late 19th century movement, particularly among artists working *en plein air*, of depicting rural labour. But it departs from some of its contemporaries. Editor: How so? Curator: Other artists presented rural labor as ennobling work that should evoke a newfound pride among burgeoning middle class audiences. This…it feels darker, more attuned to the long hours that rural labor demanded and, to me, even a bit haunting. Notice how the light from within the house draws us in, suggesting a sanctuary. But, who is being welcomed? The sheep? Or the viewer? The division becomes intentionally ambiguous, playing on our relationship to this idealized space. Editor: That's a fantastic point. I didn't think about the double audience, but I do get what you mean. It does prompt a deeper connection. I see that! It certainly reframes my reading of "intimate" as something other than cozy or safe. Curator: Right, because you must ask yourself: "Intimate for whom, and to what end?" Editor: So interesting, thanks!