A Herd at Rest | Narodna galerija

The first painting is signed at the bottom left: Rosh Fecit / 1692. It shows a resting herd consisting of a cow, sheep and goats, on the left side the herdsman is asleep, beside him his dog is keeping watch.

The second picture shows a herd consisting of the same animals fleeing in fear, as a wolf (or perhaps a fox?) approaches from the left. A dog is charging at the assailant, while at the right is a farmer with a gun in his hand and beside him another dog.

All the stylistic and technical elements of these two paintings are consistent with the work of Johann Melchior Roos, who may have painted them during his stay in Italy.

Artist Johann Melchior Roos

Year of creation 1692

Technique oil, canvas

Dimensions 99,5 x 124 cm

Inventory number NG S 1098, National Gallery of Slovenia, Ljubljana

Restored: 1960, ZSV, Ljubljana.
Provenance: Possibly from Graz; Strahl collection, Stara Loka, until 1930; purchased by the Narodna galerija, Ljubljana, 1930.
Exhibitions: 1930, Ljubljana, no catalogue; 1960, Ljubljana, No. 115; 1983, Ljubljana, No. 24.
Lit.: Polec 1930b, p. 168, Cat. No. 365 (possibly Philipp Peter Roos); Cevc 1960, p. 42, Cat. No. 115, Fig. 49 (Philipp Peter Roos, called Rosa da Tivoli: dated 1690); Zeri [& Rozman] 1983, pp. 116–117, Cat. and Fig. No. 24 (dated 1690).