St. James the Great
Unknown Artist
ca. 1500
Medium
Oak with traces of polychromy and gilding
Dimensions
Overall: 24 1/4 x 9 1/2 x 5 1/4in. (61.6 x 24.1 x 13.3cm) without base: 23 1/2 x 9 x 4 1/4in. (59.7 x 22.9 x 10.8cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Wood
Culture
North Netherlandish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1916
Accession Number
16.32.229
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking wooden sculpture of *St. James the Great crafted around 1500 by an unknown Netherlandish artist, the revered apostle in a moment of quiet devotion. Carved from oak and standing just over two feet tall (61.6 x 24.1 x 13.3 cm overall), it exemplifies the exquisite wood sculpture tradition of the late medieval period in the Northern Netherlands. Traces of original polychromy—vibrant paints—and gilding hint at its once-lively appearance, designed to draw worshippers' eyes in a church or chapel setting. North Netherlandish art from this era bridged Gothic realism and emerging Renaiss...