The image shows a sweeping landscape from a slightly elevated point of view. The horizon is on the upper left, dividing the earth from the sky. The painting is detailed with various textures and a soft sepia color palette. In the forefront, there are people guiding cattle and a seated figure. Further back, there is a bridge, towers, and a castle-like structure surrounded by trees. On the right, there is a small hill with trees framing the side.
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Shepherds in a Landscape before a Fortified Town

Jean-Baptiste Le Prince (French, 1734 - 1781)

1777

Medium
pen and brown ink with brown wash over graphite on laid paper
Classification
Drawing
Dimensions
Overall (approximate): 26.9 x 40.5 cm (10 9/16 x 15 15/16 in.) ; support: 33.6 x 45.6 cm (13 1/4 x 17 15/16 in.)
Culture
French
Museum
National Gallery of Art, CG-E
Credit line
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Rights
Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it
Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art