Two figures in stone, and not a single superfluous line. Christ with a lamb and a raised right hand. The Mother of God holding the Child before her. The video is an architectural presentation of this pair: drawings, details and the overall view.

The Good Shepherd: one of the oldest images of Christ

Christ with a lamb is the image of the Good Shepherd. It rests on words from the Gospel of John: “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, RSV). In Christian art the image is known from the paintings of the Roman catacombs as early as the 3rd century, before the iconographic canon familiar to us took shape.

Sculpture in the round and relief: what is the difference

Sculpture in the round can be walked around. It works from every side, and the silhouette matters as much as the face. Relief projects from the plane of the stone and is meant to be seen from the front.

This pair combines both methods. The figures themselves are in the round and can be seen from any side. The lamb and the Child are carved in relief.

Why there is so little detail

The form is reduced to what matters: the face, the gesture, the silhouette. For sculpture outdoors this is not only a question of style. Fine detail merges at a distance, while a large, clean volume reads from the gate and from the road alike.

A rough-split base, and smooth faces beside it. It is this difference of textures that holds the composition together.

Where stone sculpture is appropriate

Church grounds, a chapel, the garden of a monastery or parish house. The place decides almost everything: the height of the figure, the base and the side from which it will most often be seen.

What to decide before ordering

The place and the viewing distance. Where the figure will be seen from: the gate, the path, the road.
Scale. Height depends on distance: a figure that is too small simply goes unnoticed in church grounds.
The base. Stone is heavy, so the figure needs a level and solid base.
The stone. Outdoors it has to cope with water and frost, so the stone is chosen for the conditions of the site, not by colour alone.

Questions and answers

What stone is sculpture for a church made of? It depends on the place. Outdoors, what matters is how the stone withstands frost and water; for an interior the choice is wider. We choose the stone for the particular place and image.

Can I order a figure from my own sketch or photograph? Yes. We begin with a photograph of the place and your wishes, then a sketch and a drawing, approval, and only then does work on the stone begin.

Do you install the sculpture on site? Yes. Design, fabrication and installation are one job for us.

We design figures like these for a particular place. Send a photograph and we will advise on scale: +380 66 892 98 18, or through the Contact page.