Artist: Joann Liss

Title: Nymph and Shepherd

Date: 1595/1600-1631

Medium: oil on canvas

Provenance: Verona

Source: http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/438390?rpp=30&pg=1&ft=Relationships&pos=19

Relationship theme

Description: A man is sleeping around a tree. There is a women sleeping on sheets or blankets. The men are sleeping in shadows. Most of the painting is dark. There are two men and a women around the trees. 

Analyze: The emphasis and contrast of this painting is the woman laying in the middle. She is out of the shadows, creating light within the darkness. She is in the middle of the painting which causes the viewers eyes go straight to him. Liss uses space by painting the trees smaller and smaller as they go farther away in the imaginary scene. 

Interpret: The viewer would first look at the woman out of the shadows in the middle of the painting because she is lighter than the rest of the painting and in the center. The colors of the blankets contrast not only each other, but they contrast from the woman in the center. 

Judge: This painting is well thought out and looks like he painted with a purpose. She had an idea and portrayed it onto her piece. The men are resting on what seems like travel and many of us currently can relate to this, even though we may have a little different idea about relaxing or resting.