Landscape with Shepherds and their Flock

Art Historical Context

Adriaen van derabel's *Landscape with Shepherds and Flock* captures the serene beauty of a pastoral scene, featuring shepherds tending their sheep amid rolling landscapes and stately trees. This intimate drawing, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Drawings and Prints, the idyllic countryside so cherished in 17th-century art. Van der Cabel, a Dutch Golden Age artist known for his Italianate landscapes, skillfully blends human figures with nature, highlighting harmony between people and the environment—a common theme in the era's depictions of rural tranquility. Executed in pen and brown ink with brown wash over graphite on a modest scale (7 3/16 x 6 5/16 in.), the work showcases virtuoso techniques of the period. The graphite underdrawing provides precise structure, while the ink lines and subtle wash add depth, texture, and atmospheric light, creating a luminous effect typical of landscape sketches. Such drawings often served as studies for paintings or standalone gems, valued for their spontaneity and detail. Acquired through the Frits and Rita Markus Fund in 2001, this undated piece invites visitors to appreciate the meticulous craft of Dutch draftsmen, offering a window into an age when pastoral idylls symbolized escape from urban life and celebrated nature's enduring allure.