Shepherds of Arcadia (II)
The second painting depicts three shepherds and a woman
reading on a tomb the inscription ET-IN-ARCADIA-EGO.
Arcadia is situated in the Peloponnesus of Greece. Often
it is portrayed by a tombstone or a fountain, both are associated with an
underground stream.
The stream is the River Alpheus what flows underground to
surface (legend) at the fountain of Arethusa in Sicily.
The river Alpheus since ancient times is deemed to be
sacred.
The ‘Arcadian’ theme became prominent with artists and
scholars in Italy during the Renaissance.
