The Hague, circa 1645. Bernard Zwaerdecroon receives a prestigious commission: to immortalize two young children from a wealthy family as idealized shepherds. An artistic fashion typical of the Dutch Golden Age.
A Carefully Orchestrated Pastoral Scene
Two children stand in a rural landscape bathed in golden light. One wears a purple tunic and holds a long shepherd’s staff, the other a saffron dress and a bouquet of flowers. Their clothing is anything but rustic. At their feet, a goat and a sheep with meticulously rendered fur complete this bucolic staging. Zwaerdecroon masters the rendering of textures. The children’s faces fix the viewer with a direct and confident gaze. The composition structures the whole with elegance.
Disguised Portraiture, a 17th-Century Convention
This tradition of the “portrait as shepherd” enjoyed great success among the Dutch bourgeoisie. It allowed families to display their social status while celebrating a pastoral ideal borrowed from classical literature. These children would never tend flocks. Their disguise refers to Arcadia, that mythological land where innocence and harmony reign. Bernard Zwaerdecroon excels in this codified genre, combining Flemish realism with idealization. The large-format oil on canvas testifies to the prestige of the commission.
Zwaerdecroon, a Master of Dutch Portraiture
Active in The Hague in the mid-17th century, Bernard Zwaerdecroon (after 1616-1654) developed a wealthy clientele. He perfected the art of child portraiture in fancy dress, a highly sought-after genre. His pictorial technique combines descriptive precision with subtle atmospheric effects.
Think about it
💭 And today, what would one need to dress up as to assert social status?
About This Work
- Portrait of Two Children Dressed as Shepherds
- Bernard Zwaerdecroon
- circa 1645
- Oil on canvas
- 143.5 × 158 cm
- Mauritshuis, The Hague
- https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/our-collection/artworks/675-portrait-of-two-children-dressed-as-shepherds
