Sleeping Shepherd Tickled by a Shepherdess
1736
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1736
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Sleeping Shepherd Tickled by a Shepherdess is a 1736 ink by Giuseppe Maria Crespi, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a man sleeping under a tree while a woman playfully tickles his foot. The scene is outdoors, with rolling hills and a calm sky in the background. A dog lies nearby, also resting. The artist used fine lines to capture the soft folds of the shepherd’s clothes and the gentle movement of the woman’s gesture. This kind of detailed linework is typical of the etching technique. Next, look up etching to see how artists create delicate prints like this one.
