Saint James The Greater – Medieval Gothic Sculpture

Saint James the Greater – Medieval Gothic Sculpture
Polychrome carved wood – France or Spain – 13th/early 14th century

Dimensions: H. 51 cm – W. 20 cm – D. 12 cm

A superb and rare medieval polychrome wood sculpture depicting Saint James the Greater, identifiable by the characteristic presence of the pilgrim's scallop shell carved on his chest, an unmistakable mark of the iconography of the Way of St. James in the Middle Ages. The work, fragmentary but of great power, most likely comes from a church altarpiece, a rood screen, or a choir niche, as the back is flat and never intended to be seen.

The saint is depicted standing, draped in a carved cloak with still-stiff folds typical of Early Gothic, turning his face slightly upwards in an attitude of prayer, proclamation, or preaching. The elongated face, incised almond-shaped eyes, open mouth, and hair falling over the shoulders demonstrate a sculptural language highly consistent with the production of the 13th and early 14th centuries, predating the naturalism of the Rayonnant Gothic style.

The original polychromy—ochres, greens, and mineral reds—is still present in places, reinforcing the authenticity of this piece of liturgical statuary. The cult of Saint James, extremely widespread in southwestern France and northern Spain in connection with the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, places this sculpture in a region where this type of representation was very common in the Middle Ages.

A rare, powerful, authentic, and intensely expressive piece that embodies the essence of medieval religious sculpture.

Dimensions: H. 51 cm – W. 20 cm – D. 12 cm

Condition: Fragmentary, traces of original polychromy, wear consistent with age.

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