Sculpture representing Saint James, 15th century

The pilgrim's costume identifies the apostle Saint James the Great, who is said to have come to evangelize Spain and whose remains are venerated in Galicia, at Santiago de Compostela, the center of the famous pilgrimage since the 10th century.
Our sculpture depicts the saint in his traditional image, that of a pilgrim wearing a wide-brimmed hat and carrying a satchel slung over his right shoulder.
The stable and compact figure is draped in pleats with broken lines. The garment, imitating civilian dress, includes shoes—while the apostles are usually depicted barefoot—and a long, rounded-necked cloak short enough for comfortable walking.
The face, with its prominent beard and high cheekbones, displays features of a sensitive and delicate softness. A peaceful grace that does not hinder the search for expression and offers us a representation of the Saint in a dimension that is both realistic and mystical. This intensity and physical presence testify to an entire generation of sculptors who sought to interpret their models more or less faithfully. Our Saint James is representative of this tradition from the second half of the 15th century in southern Germany (Swabia ?).

Dimensions
H. 86 cm x W. 31 cm x D. 15 cm

Southern Germany (Swabia ?)
Linden wood
Original polychromy and gilding
Hollowed back
Second half of the 15th century
Missing hands