Il buon pastore

1864

Millais created this striking illustration to visualize the biblical concept that 'the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.' In a dramatic twist on a peaceful pastoral scene, a shepherd lies lifeless in the foreground, having seemingly fought off danger to protect his flock. A large, majestic lion looms on the left, gazing out over a vast, rugged landscape where sheep are scattered. True to his Pre-Raphaelite roots, Millais fills the scene with botanically accurate details, from the prickly thistles near the fallen man to the rolling hills in the distance, turning a religious metaphor into a gritty, realistic moment of sacrifice.

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