Plate 3: Shepherd tickling a sleeping Shepherdess with a piece of straw, from Troisieme Livre de Sujets et Pastorales (Third Book of Subjects and Pastorals)
Original title: Plate 3: Shepherd tickling a sleeping Shepherdess with a piece of straw, from Troisieme Livre de Sujets et Pastorales (Third Book of Subjects and Pastorals)
kurzbeschreibung
Created between 1720 and 1772, this etching and engraving by Gabriel Huquier presents a rural encounter: a young shepherd teases a sleeping shepherdess with a straw. The subject belongs to the 'Troisième Livre de Sujets et Pastorales' and was executed in etching and engraving.
Description
A shepherdess in traditional dress lies asleep on the ground, surrounded by sheep and a hat. Behind her stands a young shepherd holding a straw and lightly touching her with it. Trees and the roof of a hut suggest the rural setting. The balanced layout draws the eye to the interplay between the two figures.
Context
This print is part of a series of pastoral scenes popular in 18th-century France. Gabriel Huquier, a renowned French artist and publisher, was best known for his reproductive engravings. The model for this series was Jean-Baptiste Huet, a painter admired for idyllic landscapes and animal subjects. Such prints often served as decoration and brought pastoral ideals into courtly society.
Impact
The balanced arrangement and tranquil rural mood give the sheet a harmonious quality. The playful moment of tickling adds a cheerful, almost intimate note and invites the viewer into the idyllic world of shepherds. Even lighting and clear lines emphasise the lightness of the subject.
Technique
Etching and additional engraving allow fine lines and precise reproduction of details. The monochrome execution with even lighting is characteristic of this technique. The plate measures 26 × 20.5 cm, the sheet 34 × 24.4 cm, a format well suited to collectors.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)