Good Shepherd

17th–18th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 550

This intriguing composition portraying the Christ Child as a shepherd dozing on a mountaintop is known in numerous examples, all believed to originate in the regions of India colonized by Portugal. A tree once stood behind the Child. The distinctive iconography has led some to see links to ancient Avestan beliefs or the traditional image of the Buddha. Most carvings of the theme feature a "Fountain of Life" beneath His feet and the Magdalen reclining in a niche at the base.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Good Shepherd
Date: 17th–18th century
Culture: Indo-Portuguese
Medium: Ivory, with traces of gilding and polychromy
Dimensions: Height: 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm)
Classification: Sculpture-Miniature
Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Object Number: 17.190.297
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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