Standing sheep
Unknown Artist
second half 18th century
Medium
Polychromed terracotta body, wooden legs, metal ears
Dimensions
H. 8 1/8 in. (20.6 cm.)
Classification
Crèche
Culture
Italian, Naples
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Loretta Hines Howard, 1964
Accession Number
64.164.124
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delightful standing sheep, crafted by an unknown Neapolitan artist in the second half of the th century, is a charming figure from a traditional *crèche*—an elaborate Nativity scene central to Christmas celebrations in Baroque Naples. Standing just 8 1/8 inches (20.6 cm) tall, it the humble pastoral life surrounding the Holy Family, with its alert posture and textured wool evoking the animals that populated these vibrant, life-sized dioramas in churches and homes. Neapolitan crèches, or *presepii*, flourished during this period as expressions of deep Catholic devotion, blending religious ...