Sheep 1847

Here, Wilhelm Gentz sketches sheep with pencil, capturing them in repose. The humble sheep, a symbol laden with meaning throughout history, is brought to mind. Consider how, in early Christian iconography, the sheep represents the faithful, guided by the shepherd, Christ. This pastoral image, imbued with innocence and purity, echoes through the ages. The sheep appears in the visual and literary traditions of many cultures, from the sacrificial lambs of ancient rituals to emblems of gentleness in folklore. But such imagery is not fixed; the collective memory and subconscious processes transform symbols. What was once purely sacred evolves to contain elements of the secular, the everyday. Here, Gentz captures their calm stillness, eliciting feelings of peace and nostalgia. The symbol of the sheep is a testament to the cyclical progression of images, how they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, shaped by the ever-shifting sands of time and culture.