Sleeping sheep
18th–19th century
Medium
Polychromed terracotta, metal ears
Dimensions
H. 2 in. (5.1 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
64.164.128
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled among the lively figures of a Neapolitan crèche, Francesco Gallo's *Sleeping Sheep* captures the serene essence of pastoral life in 18th–19th century Italy. Crafted in the vibrant tradition of Naples, where artisans like Gallo excelled in creating intricate nativity scenes (presepi), this diminutive sculpture depicts a peacefully slumbering sheep, evoking the humble animals that accompanied the Holy Family. These crèches were beloved in southern Italian homes and churches, blending religious devotion with everyday realism to bring the Christmas story to vivid life. The artwork's polyc...