 |
Pieter Brueghel the Elder, I Am the Sheepgate
Engraved by Philips Galle
Flemish, 1565
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
|
"Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
The image of the Good Shepherd is one of the earliest Christian images and one of the most popular.
 |
| Moschophoros Archaic Greek, c. 560 BC Athens, Acropolis Museum |
Early Christian images were often symbolic and less specifically set in the “here and now” than later Christian images. Partly this was due to the need to be discreet in a world where Christians were often viewed with suspicion at best and persecuted even to death at worst. The image summoned up by the words of Jesus, what the quotation from John above calls “this figure of speech”, may have become so popular in the early Christian world because it blended seamlessly into an already existing world of pagan images of shepherd figures, known as kriophoroi. As such, it could easily escape the notice of the Roman authorities during times of persecution. Not only did this image seamlessly connect to the pre-Christian world it is also such a perfect image of one aspect of the Good Shepherd that it has remained the dominant image ever since.
Images of a male figure carrying a sheep or calf across his shoulders have a long pre-Christian history. One of the earliest and most famous is the Archaic Greek statue, known as the Moscophoros, dated to 560 BC, which was part of the original decoration of the Parthenon, prior to its destruction by the Persians in 480 BC. That early statue shows the figure of a man with a calf draped over his shoulders. It was commissioned as an offering to the goddess Athena, the deity of the Parthenon.
In later statues the animal draped over the shoulders was most often a sheep, that is a lamb, ewe or ram.
 |
| Hermes Kriophoros Greek, c. Fifth Century BC Rome, Museo Barracco |
Usually the Early Christian image of the Good Shepherd took the form of a young, beardless man carrying a sheep or ram across his shoulders and sometimes accompanied by other sheep. Here are some of the images that resulted during the Early Christian period.
 |
| The Good Shepherd Roman, 2nd Century Rome, Catacomb of Marcellinus and Peter The location of this painting the fact that it contains the story of Jonah and the whale, plus the orant figures points pretty decisively to a Christian interpretation of the central image. |
 |
| Good Shepherd, from the Coemeterium Majus Roman, 3rd Century Rome, Coemeterium Majus This may not be a Christian image. Since it came from the main cemetery of Rome and not from one of the specifically Christian burial sites, it may be pagan. However, it is a good example of how ambiguous the image of the "Good Shepherd" was during the years in which the Christian Church was operating virtually in hiding. |
 |
| Christ the Good Shepherd Under the Guise of Orpheus Roman, 3rd-4th Century Rome, Catacomb of Domitilla We can be more certain of the identification of this image due to its location in a Christian catacomb. However, there is nothing obviously different from a pagan image of Orpheus, the musician who was renowned for his ability to calm animals with his playing. |
 |
| Sarcophagus with the Good Shepherd Roman, c. 225-275 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
 |
| Christ as the Good Shepherd Roman, c. 250-300 Rome, Catacomb of Saint Callixtus |
 |
| Christ as the Good Shepherd, Roman, 3rd Century Rome, Catacomb of Priscilla |
 |
| Christ as the Good Shepherd Roman, 3rd Century Rome, Catacomb of Domitilla |
 | ||||
| Good Shepherd Roman (Syria or Palestine), 3rd c. Jerusalem, Rockefeller Archeological Museum
|
 |
| Good Shepherd Roman (Asia Minor), c. 280-290 Cleveland, Museum of Art |
 |
| Glass Chalice with the Good Shepherd Egyptian (Alexandria), 2nd through 4th Centuries Zagreb, Muzaj Mimara |
 |
| Child's Sarcophagus with Good Shepherd Roman, Beginning of the 4th Century Vatican, Vatican Museums, Museo Pio-Cristiano |
 | ||||||||||
| The Good Shepherd Roman, Late 3rd-Beginning 4th Century Vatican, Vatican Museums, Museo Pio-Cristiano
|
 |
| The Good Shepherd Roman, c. 350-375 Rome, Catacomb of Domitilla  Roman, c. 350 Rome, Church of Santa Costanza |
 |
| Sarcophagus of the Via Salaria Roman, c. 360-375 Vatican, Vatican Museum, Museo Pio-Cristiano |
 |
| Front of a Sarcophagus with Christ the Good Shepherd and the Twelve Apostles Roman, c. 375-400 Vatican, Vatican Museums, Museo Pio-Cristiano |
 |
| Molded pottery lamp with the Good Shepherd Roman, 5th Century London, Trustees of the British Museum |
 |
| Christ, the Good Shepherd Late Antique, 425-450 Ravenna, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia |
 |
| Christ Separating the Sheep and the Goats Byzantine, 6th Century Ravenna, Sant' Apollinare Nuovo |
Part of the job of a shepherd is to protect the sheep in His care. And this may mean separating them from their competitors, the goats. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says that, at the end of time, the faithful sheep will be separated from the unfaithful goats. The sheep will inherit eternal life in the kingdom of God, while the goats will be sent into eternal punishment for the sins they have committed.
I was unable to find images of the Good Shepherd from the centuries of the barbarian invasions and the resulting disintegration of the Roman Empire in Western Europe. This is not too surprising as these were centuries in which there was great political instability, looting and upheaval, even as the new arrivals settled down into a newly divided Europe. Such conditions were unlikely to foster a great deal of art or to preserve what is created. However, there were periods, such as the time of the Carolingian Empire in the ninth century and the Ottonian Empire in the tenth and eleventh, when such images were produced.
I was unable to find images of the Good Shepherd from the centuries of the barbarian invasions and the resulting disintegration of the Roman Empire in Western Europe. This is not too surprising as these were centuries in which there was great political instability, looting and upheaval, even as the new arrivals settled down into a newly divided Europe. Such conditions were unlikely to foster a great deal of art or to preserve what is created. However, there were periods, such as the time of the Carolingian Empire in the ninth century and the Ottonian Empire in the tenth and eleventh, when such images were produced.
 |
| The Good Shepherd From the Book of Pericopes of Saint Erentrud Austrian (Salzburg), c. 1050 Munich, Bayerisches Staatsbibliothek MS Clm 15903, Image 107 |
When we are able to pick up the story again, we find ourselves in the Romanesque period, with a capital from the church of Santa Maria la Nuova at Monreale in Sicily. At this time Sicily was under the control of the Norman dynasty that had ended the Arab occupation of the island in late eleventh century. Sicily is at a crossroads of travel and commerce in the Mediterranean, heir to the classical past as well as to North African and Byzantine influences. And, in this capital, we can see a return to the traditional form of the kriophoroi, the figure carrying a sheep across His shoulders.
 |
| The Good Shepherd Capital Italian, 1174-1189 Monreale, Santa Maria la Nuova |
This became the dominant form of the Good Shepherd image for the next seven hundred years. These images should mostly be read as relating to the parable of the lost sheep found in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 15:4-7):
These two images above by the workshop of Maarten de Vos represent two aspects of the charge of the Good Shepherd. He reclaims the lost sheep and protects the flock from predators. The Lost Sheep panel also ties the image to the Old Testament by including the opening lines of Psalm 23 "The Lord is my shepherd".
"What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance."
Many of them come from popular books, intended for the lay audience, such as the Speculum humanae salvationis.
 |
| The Good Shepherd with the Lost Sheep from Speculum humanae salvationis Italian (Bologna), c. 1350-1400 Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Arsenal 593, fol. 27v Here Christ bears the lost sheep on His shoulders and is welcomed by two smiling angels who are "rejoicing in heaven". Perspective is still a bit of a problem for the artist so he shows one angel's wings pointing up and the other's pointing down. |
 |
| The Good Shepherd with the Lost Sheep From Speculum humanae salvationis French (Alsace), c. 1370-1380 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 511, fol. 34r |
 | ||||||
| The Good Shepherd with the Lost Sheep From Speculum humanae salvationis Swiss (Basle), 15th Century Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 512, fol. 35r
|
 |
| The Good Shepherd with the Lost Sheep German, c. 1376-1400 Stendal, Evangelical Church of Saint James |
 |
| The Good Shepherd with the Lost Sheep German, c. 1390 Söst (Westphalia), Parish Church of Saint Peter |
 |
| The Good Shepherd with the Lost Sheep German (Middle Rhine), c. 1500 Cologne, Wallraf-Richartz Museum |
 |
| The Good Shepherd Dutch, c. 1540 Berlin, Gemäldegalerie der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin
In this image, the theme of the lost sheep, draped over the shoulders of the Good Shepherd, is augmented by
including the scene of the Crucifixion in which the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep. |
 |
| The Good Shepherd Dutch, c. 1550 Berlin, Gemäldegalerie der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin This slightly later image makes the same point. |
 |
| Workshop of Maarten de Vos, The Lost Sheep Flemish, c. 1569 Celle, Schlosskapelle |
 |
| Workshop of Maarten de Vos, The Good Shepherd Protecting the Sheep Flemish, c. 1569 Celle, Schlosskapelle |
These two images above by the workshop of Maarten de Vos represent two aspects of the charge of the Good Shepherd. He reclaims the lost sheep and protects the flock from predators. The Lost Sheep panel also ties the image to the Old Testament by including the opening lines of Psalm 23 "The Lord is my shepherd".
 |
| Theodor de Bry, The Good Shepherd From Grotisch für alle Kunstler Flemish, c. 1580-1600 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art Below the figure are the Latin words "Ego sum pastor bonus", I am the Good Shepherd. |
 |
| Cristobal Garcia Salmeron, The Good Shepherd Spanish, c. 1660-1665 St. Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum |
Later interpretations include the two closely related images below by Philippe de Champaigne and his nephew, Jean-Baptiste de Champaigne.
But shepherds perform many roles in caring for their sheep. One might say that they provide services for the flock. Besides finding lost sheep, they assist at lambing time, guard the flock from predators and make sure that they have sufficient grass and water by leading them to these resources.
 |
| Philippe de Champaigne, The Good Shepherd Franco-Flemish, c. 1664 Magny-les-Hameaux, Musée de Port-Royal des Champs |
 | ||||
| Jean-Baptiste de Champaigne, The Good Shepherd Franco-Flemish, c. 1670 Lille, Palais de Beaux-Arts
|
 |
| Edward Burne-Jones, The Lost Sheep Design for Window English, 1857 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
 |
| James Tissot, The Lost Sheep French, 1886-1894 New York, Brooklyn Museum |
But shepherds perform many roles in caring for their sheep. One might say that they provide services for the flock. Besides finding lost sheep, they assist at lambing time, guard the flock from predators and make sure that they have sufficient grass and water by leading them to these resources.
All of these "services" apply to the Good Shepherd as well. While the motif of the Lost Sheep, carried on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd, is the most common and longest-lived iconographic treatment of the Good Shepherd there are others. Among them are images of the Good Shepherd as leader of His sheep.
 |
| The Good Shepherd From the Sermons of Maurice de Sully Italian (Milan or Genoa), c.1320-1330 Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 187, fol. 14 |
 |
| Master of the Bible of Jean de Sy, The Lamb of God as the Good Shepherd From the Roman de la Rose French (Paris), c. 1375-1385 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 132, fol. 142r
In this unusual image the Good Shepherd is Himself a lamb, the Lamb of God, identified by the halo with a cross and the shepherd's staff.
|
 |
| Hans Bol, The Heavenly Jerusalem, with Christ as the Good Shepherd Flemish, 1575 London, Courtauld Gallery |
 |
| Marten van Vlackenborch, The Good Shepherd Dutch, c. 1580-1590 Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum
I really love this picture for the many sheep-related activities that the earthly shepherds are carrying out in the foreground. Two women and one man are shown shearing the sheep (removing their wooly fleeces), while others wash them in preparation for shearing, or carry them to the shearers. In the background a newly shorn sheep looks out on the new grass of a meadow. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the pond, the Good Shepherd brings his sheep out of their sheepfold. At one point in my life I was involved in some of this same activity and I can say with truth that, although most shearing today is done with electric shears (a bit like a large electric razor), hand shears look exactly the same today as they did in the late 16th century. |
 |
| Abel Grimmer, The Good Shepherd Flemish, 1611 Private Collection |
Until the seventeenth century the image of the Good Shepherd was presented as guide and defender. However, in the work of Murillo a certain sentimentality began to enter the iconography. Murillo and his workshop painted a series of pictures in which the Good Shepherd is the infant or child Jesus instead of the adult. Judging by the copies that are widely distributed in museums this proved a popular subject.
 |
| Bartolome Esteban Murillo, The Good Shepherd Spanish, c. 1660 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
 |
| Bartolome Esteban Murillo Spanish, c. 1660 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
This kind of soft-focused treatment infiltrated later images of the adult Good Shepherd as, no doubt did the popularity of the aria "He Shall Feed His Flock Life a Shepherd" from George Freidrich Handel's oratorio "Messiah", which derives from Isaiah, Chapter 40,
Unfortunately, this soft focused treatment became the dominant one, beginning with the late seventeenth century. So that, by the later part of the nineteenth century, images of the Good Shepherd show Jesus cradling the lamb in His arms, rather than continuing the classic stance of carrying it over the shoulders. The lamb, now not so much retrieved from being lost, as cuddled because of being weak, becomes little more than a prop and a toy.
Images also became softer and "prettier", so soft and pretty in fact that it is difficult to see in them the Good Shepherd who will defend His sheep by laying down His life for them.
"Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;But this is only a small part of Isaiah's words. The whole of that chapter celebrates the awesome power and majesty of the saving God.
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
Carrying them in his bosom,
leading the ewes with care." (Isaiah 40:11)
Unfortunately, this soft focused treatment became the dominant one, beginning with the late seventeenth century. So that, by the later part of the nineteenth century, images of the Good Shepherd show Jesus cradling the lamb in His arms, rather than continuing the classic stance of carrying it over the shoulders. The lamb, now not so much retrieved from being lost, as cuddled because of being weak, becomes little more than a prop and a toy.
 |
| William Dobson, The Good Shepherd English, 1868 Sheffield (UK), Museums Sheffield |
 |
| Frederick James Shields, The Good Shepherd English, c. 1900 Manchester (UK), Manchester Art Gallery |
 |
| Louis Comfort Tiffany, Good Shepherd Window American, 1909 New York, New York Historical Society |
 |
| Warner Sallman, The Good Shepherd American, c. 1946 |
Images also became softer and "prettier", so soft and pretty in fact that it is difficult to see in them the Good Shepherd who will defend His sheep by laying down His life for them.
Some artists did resist this trend, but their efforts were hardly enough to stem the large number of popular pretty images. But they did maintain the traditions of highlighting other parts of the Good Shepherd's care for his sheep.
 |
| Theodoor Vergaegen, Pulpit base Flemish, c. 1736-1741 Mechelen, Sint-Janskerk |
 |
| Thomas Schaidhauf, Good Shepherd, Ornament on Confessional Box German, 1750-1800 Fuerstenfeldbruck, Catholic Parish Church of Saint Bernard, formerly Monastery Church of the Assumption |
 |
| Friedrich Olivier, The Good Shepherd German, Late 18th-Early 19th Century New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
The African-American artist, Henry Ossawa Tanner, turned to the theme several times, focusing on the real, often hard and uncomfortable work of the shepherd.
 |
| Henry Ossawa Tanner, Good Shepherd American, c. 1902-1903 New Brunswick (NJ), Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University |
 |
| Henry Ossawa Tanner, Good Shepherd American, 1930 Unknown location |
While the English artist, Eric Gill, chose to focus on another part of the account of the Good Shepherd from the Gospel of John:
"I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd." (John 10:16)
 |
| Eric Gill, "Et alias oves habeo" ("And I have other sheep") English, 1926 London, Tate Britain |
© M. Duffy, 2011, revised 2017 with additional revisions 2021
1 comment:
Are familiar with the development of our Lord clothed simply in the gray/mauve tunic?
The motif appears more often in Northern, late Medieval work and is not limited to Good Shepherd imagery. It might be presumed to have developed from the typical red tunic/chiton under a blue mantle/himation for Christ as there is range of red and blue used.
pax
Post a Comment