The Shepherd Finding Romulus near the Goat 1780 - 1826

Editor: We’re looking at "The Shepherd Finding Romulus near the Goat," an etching and engraving by Carl Baron von Vittinghoff, dating somewhere between 1780 and 1826. The scene is quite striking, mostly rendered in dark hues. It's quite theatrical. A shepherd stands at the mouth of a cave encountering a couple of babies with animals. What grabs your attention in this piece? Curator: It's as if we're stumbling upon a whispered secret of Rome’s genesis. I'm captivated by the light—that sliver piercing through the cave’s mouth. See how it spotlights Romulus, lending an almost divine aura to the future founder. It's like von Vittinghoff wants us to ponder the serendipity of destiny. Don't you think it's interesting that even though we know the tale of Romulus and Remus, there's a vulnerability to their infancy presented here? Editor: It definitely emphasizes how dependent they are, practically helpless. Curator: Absolutely. It begs the question, doesn’t it: what makes a leader? Is it preordained, as the glow might suggest? Or nurtured, found perhaps in the heart of a humble shepherd? And look at the dogs; are they protectors? Or are they more like observers? The answers change the feeling completely, don't they? Editor: It does, shifting the shepherd from rescuer to, possibly, an unwitting pawn in fate’s grand design. Curator: Precisely! Which adds this curious tension. It's this intersection of fate and free will, rendered in such careful lines, that keeps drawing me back in. Von Vittinghoff lets us fill in the spaces. Editor: It’s fascinating to think that something so monumental could spring from such an unassuming moment, perfectly caught here. Curator: Beautifully said. It reminds us that even the grandest narratives begin with a single, almost imperceptible spark. History is found in the quotidian.