Presentation drawing for "Sheep (The Guests Have Arrived)"

Dublin Core

Title

Presentation drawing for "Sheep (The Guests Have Arrived)"

Subject

Drawing, American--20th century.
Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998

Description

Gouache and ink on board
18.5" x 27.5"

Cast in bronze in 1955, this relief depicts a flock of seven foreshortened sheep staring straight ahead at the viewer. Two smaller sheep, possibly lambs, are included in the bottom right hand corner. Fredericks incorporated a great deal of detail in each of the sheep, especially in their fluffy wool coats.

In the English language the phrase “black sheep” is an expression used to describe an unusual or disgraceful member of a group, especially within one’s family. In the presentation drawing for Sheep (The Guests Have Arrived), Fredericks includes one black sheep among the herd of white sheep. However, in its final form, Fredericks chose not to incorporate any wayward black sheep in the relief. Instead he opted to apply a uniform green patina to its surface.

Fredericks used a similar sheep design when creating the gold anodized aluminum relief for the Central United Methodist Church in Waterford, Michigan. Christ the Good Shepherd features five sheep comparable to those found in Sheep (The Guests Have Arrived). Completed ten years after Sheep (The Guests Have Arrived), Fredericks indisputably drew inspiration for the church project from this earlier work.

Creator

Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998

Source

Marshall M. Fredericks Papers
Series VIII, Cabinet 2 Drawer 12 Folder 7

Date

c. 1955

Rights

Use of this image requires permission from the Marshall M. Fredericks Archives.

Relation

VIII-02-12-07

Format

image/jpeg

Type

Gouache and ink drawing

Identifier

VIII.1998.001.510

Drawing Item Type Metadata

Original Format

Gouache and ink drawing

Physical Dimensions

18.5" x 27.5"

Files

Item #6260.jpg

Citation

Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998 , “Presentation drawing for "Sheep (The Guests Have Arrived)",” Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, accessed November 23, 2024, https://omeka.svsu.edu/items/show/6260.