Shepherd 1869

Curator: This is William Rimmer's drawing, "Shepherd," held here at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a pencil sketch, measuring about 7 by 10 inches. Editor: The sketch feels vulnerable. The musculature is evident, but there's also a sense of weary resignation in the figure's posture. Curator: Rimmer was fascinated by anatomy, and his drawings often explored themes of struggle and the human condition. Consider also his career as a failed physician and inventor. Editor: It certainly speaks to the male figure's historical burdens. The shepherd, traditionally a symbol of pastoral care, here looks burdened, almost defeated by something. It challenges the romanticized view. Curator: Perhaps, though it could also reflect the artist's own personal struggles with acceptance and success within the art world of his time. His background was complicated by his father's radical past. Editor: Yes, the social conditions definitely shaped the narrative here, creating something far from a simple bucolic image. It’s a powerful statement.