Pastoral
A genre in art that celebrates idyllic rural life.
Pastoral is a genre in painting, decorative arts, and literature that depicts idealized rural life, shepherds in nature, and animals. Pastoral scenes are usually filled with feelings of carefreeness, harmony, and romance. During the Rococo period, pastoral motifs appeared on porcelain, silver, and artistic panels.
Often the characters are dressed in conventional, refined costumes, and realism gives way to decorativeness. The pastoral emphasizes the urbanite's dream of tranquility and the purity of nature.
It is amusing that some porcelain figurines with "rustic" shepherds were made in huge urban manufactories, completely opposite to their theme.
The special charm of the pastoral comes from the combination of pastel tones, naive subjects, and a peculiar "theater" in art.