Rhoda, Shepherdess with Sheep – Fontanini® 18" Collection

Brand: House of Fontanini | Item #53725

Bring the gentle beauty of the shepherds' fields into your Christmas display with Rhoda, Shepherdess with Sheep #53725 from the Fontanini® 18" Collection. Tenderly cradling a young lamb in her arms, Rhoda creates a peaceful and compassionate moment within the Bethlehem story and makes a beautiful companion to the shepherds, sheep, and Holy Family in a large-scale Fontanini Italian Nativity.

House of Fontanini currently lists Rhoda, Shepherdess as part of its 18" Fontanini collection alongside Gabriel, Daniel, Josiah, the Holy Family, Three Kings, angels, and Nativity animals.

A Tender Shepherdess Carrying Her Lamb

Rhoda's design captures one of the quiet moments that makes a detailed Fontanini Nativity so special.

The shepherdess is shown standing barefoot while gently holding a white lamb across her arms. Her flowing cream-colored garments, earth-toned hood and mantle, textured base, and natural pose give the figure the rustic character of the countryside surrounding Bethlehem.

The lamb immediately becomes the focal point. Rhoda's hands carefully support the animal against her body, creating an image of tenderness and protection that complements the reverence of the Holy Family nearby.

Small scenic details around the base further connect her to the rugged landscape of the Holy Land, making Rhoda equally beautiful as an individual figure or as part of an expansive pastoral scene.

Bring the Shepherds' Fields of Bethlehem to Life

The shepherds are central to the Christmas story. According to Luke's Gospel, shepherds were watching their flocks near Bethlehem when angels announced the birth of the Savior. They hurried to Bethlehem, where they found Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus.

Rhoda helps translate that story into a visual Nativity scene.

Place her approaching the manger with the lamb in her arms, position her alongside Gabriel and Daniel, or surround the shepherds with Fontanini standing and seated sheep to recreate the pastoral landscape outside Bethlehem.

Her upright composition also provides an attractive visual contrast with seated animals and kneeling figures, helping create different heights and layers throughout a large Nativity.

The Beautiful Symbolism of the Lamb

The lamb Rhoda carries adds another layer of Christian meaning to this figure.

Sheep recall the humble shepherds who were among the first people invited to witness Christ's birth. The lamb also resonates with the imagery of Jesus as the Lamb of God, while the shepherd imagery throughout Scripture points toward Christ as the Good Shepherd.

That symbolism gives Rhoda a special place in a Christian Christmas display. She is not merely another villager filling the landscape—her shepherdess role and the lamb she carries reinforce themes of humility, care, sacrifice, and faith.

An Important Character in the Fontanini Nativity World

Rhoda has appeared as a shepherdess character in Fontanini collecting beyond the 18" edition. Documented smaller Fontanini versions identify Rhoda specifically as a shepherdess and show that the character has been part of the Fontanini Nativity tradition for years.

For collectors building the larger Nativity, Rhoda #53725 brings that character into Fontanini's impressive 18" scale. House of Fontanini's current 18" assortment confirms Rhoda alongside numerous other coordinating characters, making her a natural choice for expanding an established display.

More Than a Century of Fontanini Tradition

The Fontanini Nativity tradition began in the hills of Tuscany, where Emanuele Fontanini opened his first shop in Bagni di Lucca, Italy, in 1908.

From those humble beginnings grew a family-guided tradition of Nativity artistry recognized by collectors around the world. Fontanini figures are meticulously sculpted and molded, with special attention given to expressive faces, natural poses, detailed clothing, animals, and the accessories that help give each character an individual story.

Durable polymer construction makes the figures particularly well suited to substantial Nativity displays that are carefully unpacked, arranged, enjoyed throughout the Christmas season, and stored for generations to come.

Rhoda exemplifies that storytelling approach. Her garments establish her place in Bethlehem, her lamb identifies her as a shepherdess, and her gentle pose creates a story before she is even placed beside another figure.

Create an Heirloom-Scale Bethlehem

The Fontanini 18" Collection is ideal when a Nativity needs enough presence to fill a larger setting. House of Fontanini's current assortment includes the Holy Family, Three Kings, shepherds, angels, camel driver, stable animals, sheep, and additional characters for creating a much more complete Bethlehem.

Rhoda makes a particularly meaningful addition for church sanctuaries and narthexes, parish and chapel displays, religious schools and institutions, large residential Nativities, and established Fontanini collections.

Begin with the Holy Family and gradually expand outward. Add shepherds and their sheep to one side, the journeying Kings to another, angels above, and villagers throughout the landscape. Each new figure makes the scene more engaging while keeping the focus where it belongs—on the Christ Child.

Shop Fontanini at House of Fontanini

When you shop Fontanini at House of Fontanini, you're shopping with a locally owned small business that genuinely loves the Fontanini Nativity tradition.

For more than 25 years, House of Fontanini has proudly served collectors, families, churches, and parishes from our Minnesota warehouse. We don't simply sell Fontanini—we appreciate the artistry, cherish the tradition, and believe in the story these beautiful figures were created to tell.

Our mission says it best:

“Telling His Story, one piece at a time.”

Add Rhoda, Shepherdess with Sheep #53725 to your Fontanini Italian Nativity and bring a beautiful expression of tenderness, humility, and pastoral life to your Bethlehem scene.

Product Details

• Product: Rhoda, Shepherdess with Sheep
• Fontanini Item #: 53725
• UPC: 089945339710
• Collection: Fontanini® 18" Collection
• Scale: 18" Nativity Scale
• Character: Rhoda
• Role: Shepherdess
• Design: Standing shepherdess carrying a lamb
• Material: Durable Polymer
• Theme: Fontanini 18" Retail
• Coordinates With: Gabriel, Daniel, Josiah, Fontanini sheep, Holy Family, angels, Three Kings, and other 18" figures
• Ideal For: Churches, parishes, chapels, religious institutions, large home Nativities, and heirloom Fontanini collections

Masterpiece Collection Availability

Please note that larger Fontanini Masterpiece Collection pieces, ranging from approximately 18" to 70", are typically stocked when available. Because of their impressive size, intricate details, and higher cost, some items may be available on a special-order basis.

For special-order pieces that need to be sent from the workshop in Tuscany, please allow up to 120 days.

To check current availability of Rhoda, Shepherdess #53725, please contact our Parish Sales Department at 507-469-9659 or email House of Fontanini. We will gladly check availability for you!