Artwork
Italian landscape with shepherd and shepherdess

Italian landscape with shepherd and shepherdess is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerard de Lairesse. It dates from 1694 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
These human elements are situated among natural features, including a prominent tree, which contributes to the idyllic atmosphere typical of the genre.
Created by Gerard de Lairesse in 1687, the work is classified as a landscape painting that features an Italian setting. The composition explicitly depicts a shepherd and a shepherdess, figures that anchor the scene within a pastoral tradition. These human elements are situated among natural features, including a prominent tree, which contributes to the idyllic atmosphere typical of the genre.
The painting represents a romanticized vision of rural life, blending human presence with the surrounding environment to evoke a sense of harmony between humanity and nature.
Technique & Style
Italian landscape with shepherd and shepherdess is an oil painting executed on canvas. The work measures 280 cm in height by 212 cm in width, indicating a large-scale, vertically oriented support. Classified as a landscape painting, it was produced in 1687 by Gerard de Lairesse.
The combination of oil paint on canvas is consistent with the large-scale landscape practice typical of late seventeenth-century Dutch classicist painters, though the specific handling, condition, and stylistic details of this canvas are not documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
The work was painted in 1687 by Gerard de Lairesse, as indicated by the artist’s date on the painting and the Wikidata record for the work’s creation year.
It has been part of the collection of the Rijksmuseum since at least the date of its cataloguing there, where it is recorded as a landscape painting on canvas measuring 280 cm in height and 212 cm in width.
Overview
Italian landscape with shepherd and shepherdess, painted in 1694 by Gerard de Lairesse, is an oil-on-canvas work belonging to the Dutch Golden Age landscape genre. Characterized by a serene pastoral scene, the painting showcases the artist's eclectic style, influenced by classical French and Italian sources.
Context
As a Dutch Golden Age painter, De Lairesse's work was part of a broader movement that valued landscape painting for its ability to evoke emotions and tell stories. This piece, with its idyllic scene, contributed to the period's fascination with the natural world and pastoral life.
Legacy
While specific details on the painting's direct influence are scarce, it represents De Lairesse's contribution to the evolution of landscape painting in the Dutch Golden Age, showcasing how classical influences merged with the period's artistic tendencies.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Gerard or Gérard (de) Lairesse (French pronunciation:; 11 September 1641 – June 1711) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and art theorist.

















