Good Shepherd Mosaic

The large fields of gold make this a striking mosaic. Mosaics are typically flatter in tone than stained glass windows with less contrast and variation in color. This one is an exception.

American mosaics of this period were created with a combination of marble, tile, porcelain, and glass. American mosaic artists often used certain techniques to achieve a shimmering appearance. For ex-ample, they sometimes placed pieces of gold foil on the back of translucent glass tiles, as may have been done here. The design elements in this mosaic correspond with those in stained glass windows of the period. Some details, including the fleur-de-lis and the quatrefoil, have appeared in windows for centuries.

The Good Shepherd mosaic was installed at St. Ann’s Church in Brooklyn. It was located above the altar in a chapel and remained there when the building was sold to Packer Collegiate Institute in 1969. In the Bible, Jesus is depicted as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.

In 2002, the school undertook a major renovation of the building. Many mosaics in old churches have gone the way of the bulldozer. An unknown artist saved this beautiful mosaic from such a fate. Although the glass tiles were set in concrete, he painstakingly removed each one. He then cleaned the tiles and reconstituted the mosaic between two layers of glass. The mosaic eventually ended up in this Collection. We placed it on a new concrete pad and are proud to have this labor of love in the Museum.