Return of the Shepherd
1821
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1821
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Return of the Shepherd is a 1821 ink by William Blake, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This small black-and-white image shows two sheep walking behind a lone figure, likely a shepherd. The scene is simple, with rough lines and shading that give it texture. The background looks like a hilly or rocky landscape under a dim sky. The artist used tiny parallel lines to build up shadows and details—this is called cross-hatching. It’s a way to make depth without color. Look up cross-hatching to see how this technique works in other art.
