Artwork

Liber Veritatis: No. 25, A Mountainous and Wooded Landscape with Shepherds Playing and Goats Browsing

Liber Veritatis: No. 25, A Mountainous and Wooded Landscape with Shepherds Playing and Goats Browsing is a print by the Romanticist artist Richard Earlom. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1930.558
Credit line: Charles W. Harkness Endowment Fund

About this work

The artist added fine details like the folds in the shepherds’ clothes and the texture of the trees.

This print shows a quiet countryside scene with shepherds tending to goats. Trees line a path, and a small stream runs at the bottom. People are scattered, some standing, others sitting near the water, while goats graze or rest.

The artist added fine details like the folds in the shepherds’ clothes and the texture of the trees. The print was made in 1774, capturing a peaceful moment in nature.

Next, check out the technique called chiaroscuro.

Overview

Created in 1774 by Richard Earlom, this etching and mezzotint is part of the Liber Veritatis series, a project dedicated to reproducing the drawings of Claude Lorrain held in the British royal collection. The work, cataloged as number 25, depicts an idealized pastoral landscape featuring shepherds playing music and goats browsing within a mountainous, wooded setting. Earlom employs the mezzotint technique to achieve a wide range of tonal values, meticulously rendering the soft light and atmospheric depth characteristic of Lorrain's original compositions.

The composition is structured around a winding path lined with trees that leads the eye toward a distant horizon, while a stream flows across the foreground where figures rest and animals graze. Earlom's attention to detail is evident in the precise delineation of the shepherds' clothing folds and the textures of the foliage. This print serves as a significant example of late 18th-century reproductive printmaking, preserving the classical landscape tradition for a broader audience and demonstrating Earlom's mastery in translating the subtle effects of light and shadow from drawing to print.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a gently rolling countryside where shepherds are scattered along a winding path, some seated, others standing, while a small stream courses at the foreground. Goats graze and rest among the trees, suggesting a moment of quiet labor and leisure within a pastoral setting.

Technique & Style

Earlom employed a fine line engraving that emphasizes texture: the folds of the shepherds’ garments, the bark of the trees, and the rippling water are rendered with delicate cross‑hatching. The print makes use of chiaroscuro shading to model forms, creating depth through contrasts of light and dark without resorting to overt dramatization.

History & Provenance

Created in 1774, the print was included in Earlom’s Liber Veritatis, a series intended to document his landscape studies. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the 20th century, where it remains on view as an example of British printmaking of the period.