Pastoral, shepherd and sheep

Roos, who moved to Italy in the late 1670s, spent almost his entire career working in Tivoli, hence the soubriquet 'Rosa da Tivoli'. He was held in high regard by the collectors and connoisseurs in Rome, developing a reputation for specialist landscapes with animals, occasionally with figures. The shepherd in Pastoral, shepherd and sheep is unusually prominent. This picture is an excellent, relaxed example of the rise of new romanticism in Baroque art. The shepherd appears passive and content, in stark contrast to the ardour of earlier 17th century painting. Despite currently being in need of restoration, this still shines through as a major example of Baroque painting.