A Reflective Analysis of Landscape With a Goatherd and Goats
Date originally created: April 22, 2003
In this essay, I will analyze the painting Landscape With a Goatherd and Goats by Claude. The painting is considered a late Renaissance painting, and is a painting of a natural landscape. I will begin my analysis by analyzing the painting itself, namely its subjects and scenery. I will then reflect on the time period and context in which this painting was made and what conclusions can be drawn from it.
The Painting Itself
Landscape With a Goatherd and Goats is an oil painting that depicts a beautiful
wooded scene in the spring or summer. In the scene, we see a man (the goatherd)
in a blue outfit sitting on the base of a rock with his two goats in front of
him. The man has his back mostly towards the viewer, but his head is turned
slightly looking at the viewer. He has a slightly mischievous (or possibly
calm?) smile on his face, and one finger is lifted pointing at his mouth. To me
this look and gesture seem mysterious and playful, however it is also speculated
that the man is possibly playing an instrument which we cannot see. The two
goats are grazing in front of the man, and above the subjects in the painting
are towering trees that are in front and to the left of the goats. The trees
have vibrant green leaves on them, and the puffy white clouds and blue sky
suggest that this painting takes place mid-day. Since Rome does get somewhat
cold during the winter months and because the goatherd is so lightly dressed, we
can assume that this painting takes place in the summer time. Behind the trees
and the clearing which the viewer and the goatherd are in is a river that
follows into a green field further beyond in the right-most portion of the
painting. Finally on the horizon we can see beautiful blue mountains that have a
slight haziness to them. The overall feeling this painting evokes is one of
slight intrigue but generally calm and idyllic. I really enjoy this painting and
would love to step into the environment that this painting exists in.
The Time Period and Context
Surrounding Claude and the Painting
Landscape With a Goatherd and Goats is estimated to have been completed by
Claude in the mid to late 1630's. The painting itself is considered a late
Renaissance painting, and continues the general Renaissance trend of portraying
objects and scenery realistically as opposed to fantastically like in the Middle
Ages. This painting exemplifies Claude's style, in that he seemed to enjoy
painting realistic, grand beautiful natural scenery (another example of his
works that demonstrates this is A Seaport). What makes this and some of Claude's
other paintings different from other Renaissance paintings that came before it
however is the fact that there is a notable lack of religious figures in these
paintings. Even through the early and mid-Renaissance, when realism as an art
form was gaining popularity, you'd still see religious figures depicted in some
fashion in these paintings (an example of this would be Leonardo Da Vinci's The
Last Supper). Landscape With a Goatherd and Goats however appears to be very
plain in its premise. A Goatherd and Goats relaxing in a wooded field on a calm
day in the mountains. When pondering the time period of when this painting came
out, one might ask why Claude chose to paint such an idyllic scene of a Goatherd
in the woods. Perhaps one possible reason might be because Claude wanted to
emphasize the subjects of his painting. Goatherds are often seen as easygoing
folk, who prefer the wilderness to bustling cities such as Rome. By painting
this Goatherd in his natural environment, Claude brings the viewer into their
world, one where they are truly most comfortable and happy. I'm sure if a
typical Roman living in the city center were to view this painting back when it
was released, they would get a sense of peace and feel a connection to the
wilderness and natural beauty of the woods.
Conclusion
Overall I really enjoyed viewing and analyzing Landscape With a Goatherd and
Goats. The slight mysteriousness of the Goatherd and the natural beauty of the
realistic landscape depicted in this painting left me with a sense of wonder and
wistfulness for a country-side I cannot visit. As I stated above, I wish I could
step into the environment that this painting exists in, and I would love to sit
on the nearby rocks and enjoy the calm summer afternoon under the sun and
clouds. Between this painting and his other works, Claude demonstrates his
mastery as a realistic landscape painter, and I highly recommend checking out
this and his other paintings!