Sleeping Shepherd - Berger couché - Scholar - Size #1 / Cricket

Sleeping Shepherd -– Berger couché - Scholar - lou Pantaiaire

It would appear that the Sleeping Shepherd was not amongst the Shepherds who were the first to hear from the Angel as she came to announce the birth of Jesus. Lying in the grass underneath his tree, the Sleeping Shepherd is said to symbolize a famous French naturalist, Jean-Henri Fabre. Trained as a primary teacher in Avignon, Jean-Henri was a popular teacher, physicist, chemist, and botanist, who became best known for his findings in the field of entomology (the study of insects) and is considered by many to be the father of entomology. He was a keen observer and importantly an author known for the engaging, colloquial style of his popular books on the lives of insects, making his scientific knowledge available to the average man. He is said to have influenced Darwin and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

His home and garden in Serignan, Provence, the Harmas Jean Henri Fabre, is now a Natural History Museum in his honor.

The tree shown is not included. The tradition in Provence is for the family to go out into the woods each year in the weeks before Christmas to collect natural materials to add to the creche scene:  branches, twigs, lichen, mosses, stones, pebbles, sand, etc to naturalize the nativity landscape. Thus the Sleeping Shepherd has a small hole at the base to insert a "tree." What is nice is that you can follow the tradition of Provence, or you can use a rosemary or thyme twig to shade the Sleeping Shepherd. Even better is that Jean Henri Fabre would have been so pleased to know that the Santon in his honor was re-adorned each year by families enjoying and collecting from the natural world.

Size #1 / Cricket (the 1-5/8 inch - 4 cm size)

Made in France