Shepherdess, known as ‘Monumental Conception of Humanity’, Matthijs Maris, c. 1885 - c. 1898
oil on canvas, h 203cm × w 138.5cm × t 4.2cm × d 9.5cm More details
This large painting of a shepherdess was for a staircase and meant to be seen from below. As for all of his conceptions, Maris wished to erase the traces of the production process. Here he worked with successive layers of pastose paint which he ‘pressed’ into the canvas, creating a matte surface with a rugged texture. He also had the frame made especially for this picture.
