Letting the Sheep Out
Medium
Etching and aquatint on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Image: 19.6 × 16.3 cm (7 3/4 × 6 7/16 in.); Plate: 22.9 × 18.1 cm (9 1/16 × 7 3/16 in.); Sheet: 44.1 × 27.8 cm (17 3/8 × 11 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
28587
Art Historical Context
In the serene etching *Letting the Sheep Out* (1876), French artist Charles Émile Jacque captures a quintessential moment of rural life. Jacque, a prominent member of the Barbizon School, was renowned for his realistic depictions of the French countryside, peasants, and livestock—especially sheep, which he portrayed with affectionate detail. Created during a time when industrialization was transforming Europe, this print evokes the timeless harmony of pastoral existence, reflecting the Barbizon artists' commitment to en plein air observation and naturalism as a counterpoint to urban upheaval. ...