The Good Shepherd Sculpture: Ancient Art

The Good Shepherd is a remarkable piece of early ancient history. It is an early Christian sculpture that also relates to the “The Good Shepherd” painting. I have chosen this piece because I find this sculpture to be very interesting and mysterious. When I first saw this piece it made me feel as if the man was at peace and content. I say this because of the way he seems to be standing, in a relaxed matter. The way he's holding the sheep by its legs seems like he it protecting it from any harm and will take care of it.

The composition of the piece is very organized. The three baby sheep around the man seem very close and intrigued by their surroundings. I really like that the sheep are laying so close to the man because its almost as if he is their protector. The detail in the sculpture is nice and realistic. It is easy to specify the coat of the sheep is soft and the man’s attire is baggy. The lines on his cloth make it look “flowy” and possibly worn. The stump and stick are a nice detail like they are outside. The way he is standing and holding on to the stick makes me feel like they’ve been walking for a long time and are exhausted. Or perhaps he comes off as confident and challenging.

The sculpture is made of marble, which is a smooth and gentle texture kind of like the piece represents. I think this texture works well with the sculpture because it shows so much detail. The color and texture work well together. The warm colors and smooth details make it easy to look at. The marble makes me think of something that is delicate, yet strong. I think the man holding the sheep treasures the sheep on its back like it is something fragile. The sheep on his back makes me wonder why he’s carrying this animal that way. “The Good Shepherd” name alone makes me wonder what makes this shepherd so “good”. My theory is when I look at this sculpture I think of how this shepherd would do anything just for his sheep, even carry a “weak” or in pain sheep. I say the animal is weak because of the way its positioned on his shoulders like he is frail and cannot walk anymore. Then I look at the younger sheep lying by his feet and I think, maybe the mother is dying. The man is holding the sheep with one hand, which gives off the energy that he is strong.

This piece is three dimensional and only 19 3/4 x 10 1/16 x 6 1/4 inches. It is small with good equal proportion. The man is standing large but what it seems like, he is resting by the stance of his leg and the stick. The dimensions give the piece a nice contrast with shadows. Everything is symmetrical and easy to identify. The angles are not too dramatic but define each figure with just enough detail. The sculpture is a fairly light color and the shadows help separate the figures. It seems the man is looking away from the viewer, which could easily give off mystery because it is unknown why he is looking in a different direction. It also makes me wonder why the other figures are looking in the same direction. The artistic style definitely makes this sculpture seem as if it were ancient because of the worn marks. Some parts are not as smooth as the others, probably due to how old it is. The sculpture is all the same material and color. The visual interest in this piece is comforting and gives off an innocence feel. This artistic style is an ancient piece also because of the clothes he is wearing. All of the figures are close together and connected. The atmosphere of this piece feels innocent and mysterious.