Country Village with Sheep and Sitting Shepherd
Johannes van Doetechum the Elder
1676
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Johannes van Doetechum the Elder
1676
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white scene shows a quiet village with simple wooden houses and thatched roofs. A river cuts through the middle, where people herd sheep across on makeshift floats. Trees line the banks, and a few figures stand or walk near the water’s edge. The artist used fine lines to show texture—like the folds in the shepherd’s cloak or the ripples in the river. This was done with a technique called etching. Next, look up etching to see how artists create detailed prints like this.
