The Good Shepherd
Figure Group
ca. 1650 (made)
ca. 1650 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This object was created in the Portuguese colony of Goa in about 1650. Similar ivories are to be found in most large collections and there are several exemplars in the V&A. 'The Mount of Christ as the Good Shepherd' is a common subject in Indo-Portuguese ivories, and seems to be unique to Goa. The figure of God the Father, carved in relief above the Christ Child, represents the Holy Spirit.
Although the precise parallels and/or sources in Indian are uncertain, this distinctive composition recurs again and again in Goan ivories, and the combination of the Christ Child in the guise of the shepherd with saints, a fountain, vegetation and animals suggest the richness of the natural world, in conjunction with Christian imagery. His seated pose, asleep, recalls images of the Buddha in Indian art. Ivory carving had a long tradition on the Indian subcontinent, and elaborate works of art were made, particularly as diplomatic gifts, often presented to Western rulers. Most of the ivory would have been exported from Mozambique in East Africa.
Although the precise parallels and/or sources in Indian are uncertain, this distinctive composition recurs again and again in Goan ivories, and the combination of the Christ Child in the guise of the shepherd with saints, a fountain, vegetation and animals suggest the richness of the natural world, in conjunction with Christian imagery. His seated pose, asleep, recalls images of the Buddha in Indian art. Ivory carving had a long tradition on the Indian subcontinent, and elaborate works of art were made, particularly as diplomatic gifts, often presented to Western rulers. Most of the ivory would have been exported from Mozambique in East Africa.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Good Shepherd (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved ivory |
| Brief description | Figure group, ivory, 'The Mount of the Good Shepherd', Indo-Portuguese (Goa), ca. 1650 |
| Physical description | Group figure in carved ivory. The Christ Child as the Good Shepherd is seated above a mount formed by three tiers; at the top birds and sheep drink from a fountain; below are five sheep. Above the Good Shepherd is a separate relief of God the Father. The Christ Child is seated asleep resting his cheek against his right hand, his ankles crossed. He wears a gourd bottle slung round his waist, and a wallet round his right shoulder. On his left knee he holds a lamb. The base is hollowed out to form three caves, in the centre of which St Mary Magdalene reclines reading a book, while in the other two are lions. The stem at the back with God the Father and a dove representing the Holy Spirit has five pairs of stumps with holes, into which ivory branches would have been fitted. The four holes on the rounded base in which the Christ Child sits would probably have held four more branches. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | This object was created in the Portuguese colony of Goa in about 1650. It was bought in London in 1921 from J.W. Brooks. Similar ivories are to be found in most large collections and there are several exemplars in the V&A. This is a common subject in Indo-Portuguese ivories. Although the precise parallels and/or sources in Indian are uncertain, this distinctive composition recurs again and again in Goan ivories, and the combination of the Christ Child in the guise of the shepherd with saints, a fountain, vegetation and animals suggest the richness of the natural world, in conjunction with Christian imagery. |
| Historical context | Goa (on the West Coast of India) was a Portuguese colony at this time, and the style of carving combines Indian with European traditions. This subject is particular to Goan Indo-Portuguese ivories. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This object was created in the Portuguese colony of Goa in about 1650. Similar ivories are to be found in most large collections and there are several exemplars in the V&A. 'The Mount of Christ as the Good Shepherd' is a common subject in Indo-Portuguese ivories, and seems to be unique to Goa. The figure of God the Father, carved in relief above the Christ Child, represents the Holy Spirit. Although the precise parallels and/or sources in Indian are uncertain, this distinctive composition recurs again and again in Goan ivories, and the combination of the Christ Child in the guise of the shepherd with saints, a fountain, vegetation and animals suggest the richness of the natural world, in conjunction with Christian imagery. His seated pose, asleep, recalls images of the Buddha in Indian art. Ivory carving had a long tradition on the Indian subcontinent, and elaborate works of art were made, particularly as diplomatic gifts, often presented to Western rulers. Most of the ivory would have been exported from Mozambique in East Africa. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.38-1921 |
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| Record created | November 4, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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