Daphnis leidt zijn geiten terug naar de stal - Aristide Maillol

A refined woodcut by Aristide Maillol depicting a scene from the pastoral romance Daphnis and Chloe, featuring clean lines and balanced composition.

This woodcut by Aristide Maillol depicts a scene from the ancient Greek pastoral romance, Daphnis and Chloe. Maillol, primarily known for his sculpture, applied his interest in classical form to the medium of printmaking with great clarity. The composition shows the young shepherd, Daphnis, guiding his herd through a wooded area. The figures of the goats and the shepherd are rendered with a focus on essential form rather than excessive detail.

Maillol utilised a clean, direct line to define the subjects against the background. The trees act as vertical anchors, creating a rhythmic structure that guides the eye across the frame. The contrast between the dark ink and the paper surface provides a sense of weight and presence, typical of the artist's approach to volume. This work was produced as part of a larger project illustrating the text by Longus, a task that occupied Maillol for several years. His interpretation of the pastoral theme avoids sentimentality, favouring a balanced, rhythmic arrangement of figures and nature. The woodcut technique allows for a stark, graphic quality that emphasises the sculptural nature of his subjects. By stripping away unnecessary ornamentation, Maillol captures the essence of the narrative through simple, deliberate marks. The result is a work that feels both ancient in its subject matter and modern in its execution, reflecting the artist's lifelong engagement with the Mediterranean tradition.