A pastoral ink and wash drawing by Simon van der Does, dated 1700, featuring shepherds and their livestock resting beneath a tree.

This work by Simon van der Does depicts a pastoral scene, a genre that remained popular in the Dutch Republic throughout the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The composition centres on a group of shepherds resting beneath the shade of a large, gnarled tree. They are accompanied by a collection of livestock, including sheep and goats, which occupy the foreground. To the left, a stone plinth supports a large, decorative urn, adding a classical element to the rural setting. The inscription on the plinth, S.v.Does MDCC, confirms the date of the work as 1700.

Van der Does employs a delicate ink and wash technique to define the forms. The shading is achieved through subtle gradations of grey, which provide volume to the animals and texture to the bark of the tree. The background opens into a lighter, more atmospheric vista, suggesting a river or open field in the distance. This contrast between the detailed, shaded foreground and the lighter background creates a sense of depth within the scene. The figures of the shepherds are rendered with soft, fluid lines, reflecting the artist's focus on the quiet, everyday life of the countryside. The inclusion of the classical urn suggests an influence from Italianate Dutch painting, where rural scenes were often embellished with architectural fragments or antique motifs. This print captures the calm, observational quality characteristic of the period's interest in nature and agrarian life.