Depicting a seated gentleman as a shepherd, his dog at his feet and a standing woman dressed as a shepherdess in a landscape framed by ‘rocaille’ (c-shaped scroll) ornaments adorned with floral swags. In a gilt frame.

The source for this painting is most likely an engraving from the Augsburg area of South Germany. There were hundreds of printmakers active in the region in the 18th century and the exact source of this painting is as yet unidentified.

At the beginning of the 18th century German art was increasingly influenced by the rococo style, which was adopted in Bavaria and Prussia. François de Cuvilliés, (1695–1768), was a Bavarian architect and decorative designer who was born in the Netherlands and later lived in Munich. de Cuvilliés was the first to introduce the rococo style to Germany and the boldness of his rocaille is comparable to that in this mirror painting (see image left). Rocaille motifs such as this were used in art and design across Europe and in media such as porcelain.

The subject of this mirror painting represents love and fidelity, the latter signified by the dog at his master's feet and the composition which is echoed in a number of 18th century European engravings in the rococo taste.