Shepherd and shepherdess in a landscape 1715 - 1735

Curator: This delicate object is a painted glass goblet entitled "Shepherd and Shepherdess in a Landscape," created between 1715 and 1735, and attributed to Johann Heinrich Meyer. Editor: It’s deceptively simple at first glance. The pastoral scene encircling the glass evokes a sense of idyllic calm, like a miniature world contained within the vessel itself. Curator: Pastoral themes in art frequently served as allegories, often speaking to idealized notions of social harmony and courtly love. Here, we have these shepherd figures—who, historically, are they meant to represent and who is afforded these privileges? Editor: The shepherd and shepherdess have strong symbolic associations. Consider the enduring image of the shepherd as protector and guide, mirrored in religious contexts with Christ as the Good Shepherd. They stand in a timeless Arcadian space. Curator: Right. These figures existed as symbols representing idealized social structure but masked the actual labour and lived experiences of working-class communities. Are they aware of that context? Editor: The cup itself serves a purpose; what does that object signify? One could see it as a symbol of celebration, a shared experience, a communion, even—but what are we really consuming here? What meanings are layered? Curator: Exactly. How might ideas around labour and class influence consumption of the actual object and the narrative itself? It's a decorative art piece now housed in a museum, no longer engaged in its originally-intended, class-specific usage. Editor: It makes one wonder who originally held this cup. I imagine its fragility was a symbol of status and wealth, adding another layer of consideration to its symbolism. Curator: This goblet allows us to explore relationships between aesthetic pleasure and lived experience. A glimpse into what culture values, and more importantly, who is granted that value. Editor: Looking closer, the shepherd imagery certainly opens a broader conversation about our visual languages and history. Thank you.