After 1860, Henner moved away from contemporary subjects and explored themes rooted in a timeless Antiquity. He exhibited Idylle (Musée d'Orsay, RF 95) at the 1872 Salon, of which the work here is a late reinterpretation.
The title of this work is inspired by pastoral poetry, a poetic genre founded by Theocritus, which tells of the rustic life and loves of shepherds.
In his version, Henner chose to depict two female figures: one plays the flute seated while the other, standing, listens.
