The Sleeping Shepherd
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
65; 83; 8.5
About this artwork
depth 8.5 cm
Art Historical Context
"The Sleeping Shepherd," painted in 1678 by Dutch artist Jan van der Meer (II), captures a tranquil pastoral moment in oil on canvas. Measuring 65 by 83 centimeters, this modestly scaled work invites close viewing, allowing visitors to appreciate the subtle textures and soft lighting typical of late seventeenth-century Dutch painting. Housed in the Rijksmuseum, it reflects the period’s fascination with everyday rural life rendered with quiet dignity. Van der Meer’s choice of oil on canvas enabled rich layering and delicate tonal gradations, bringing warmth to the sleeping figure and surroundi...