An atmospheric and fine quality 17th century British oil on canvas portrait of a young girl as a shepherdess. The attractive sitter is portrayed three-quarter-length standing at sunset within a hilly landscape. At her side a lamb perches upon a grassy hillock with its leg resting upon her cape. The girl grasps her dress with her left hand and in her right is a pole with a curved metal end. This implement, known as a ''spud'', was used by shepherds to control their sheep. After the Stuart monarchy was restored to the British throne in 1660, it became a fashionable for ladies (particularly those at court) to be portrayed in the role of a shepherdess. In this painting the illusion of pastoral simplicity is created by the outdoor setting, the lamb, the spud, and also by the sitter herself. She is a pale face beauty with natural blonde hair which tumbles naturalistically around her shoulders.By contrast the sitters expensive costume is constructed of no less than four colours ...