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Nicolaes Berchem

Shepherd Playing a Flute

1644/45
Etching in black on cream laid paper
18.5 × 13.9 cm (7.3 × 5.5 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

During the Renaissance and early modern periods, pastoral motifs (such as shepherds herding livestock) became quite popular, as they had been in antiquity. Pastoral images portray an idyllic fantasy of outdoor living, made to appeal to an urban audience far removed from the realities of agrarian life. One popular pastoral theme was a shepherd playing a flute for a young woman, which could have erotic undertones. Here a young man serenades not only a maiden, but also a menagerie of animals including a cow, a donkey, a goat, and a sheep.

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