Who painted Shepherdess with Sheep?

Shepherdess with Sheep was painted by Leendert Overbeek in 1797-01-01.

Where can I see Shepherdess with Sheep?

Shepherdess with Sheep is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Shepherdess with Sheep?

Shepherdess with Sheep is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Shepherdess with Sheep?

Museum-quality prints of Shepherdess with Sheep are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Shepherdess with Sheep

Leendert Overbeek , 1799

Shepherdess with Sheep is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Leendert Overbeek. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

The work is executed in vitreous enamel on a glass support, employing the verre églomisé technique in which gilding is applied to the reverse of a transparent sheet and covered with a colored enamel layer that is then fired. The scene is painted with fine, controlled brushwork that delineates the shepherdess and flock in a restrained palette of earth tones and muted greens, emphasizing naturalistic detail within the small format. Compositionally, the arrangement clusters the figures near a central tree, directing attention through subtle perspectival recession while maintaining a calm, pastoral mood typical of Dutch landscape painting of the period.

History & Provenance

The provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the work, nor do they document any exhibition history.

The vitreous enamel painting titled Shepherdess with Sheep was created by Leendert Overbeek in 1797. This work, classified as a landscape, depicts a tree and was executed using the verre églomisé technique. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

The artwork Shepherdess with Sheep by Leendert Overbeek is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created in 1797, this vitreous enamel landscape painting is part of the museum's permanent holdings. The provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the work, nor do they document any exhibition history.

Overview

Leendert Overbeek’s 1799 work Shepherdess with Sheep is a small‑scale landscape rendered in vitreous enamel. The composition captures a tranquil rural scene at twilight, centered on a woman seated on a rock beside a gentle stream. A flock of sheep grazes nearby, a dog lingers at the water’s edge, and a distant figure stands under the fading light, all framed by trees and the suggestion of a dark building.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents an everyday moment of pastoral life, emphasizing the quiet relationship between the shepherdess and her flock. The subdued atmosphere and the inclusion of ordinary figures convey a sense of calm routine, inviting viewers to contemplate the simple rhythms of countryside labor and the harmony between humans, animals, and the landscape.

Context

At the turn of the 19th century, Dutch artists often turned to rural genre subjects to depict national identity and everyday life. Overbeek’s choice of a shepherdess aligns with this tradition, while the use of enamel, a medium more commonly associated with decorative arts, demonstrates a crossover between fine art and craft practices of the era.