The Battle of St. James the Greater at Clavijo
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
28.9 × 43.3 cm
Classification
Department
Prints
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Ralph King
Accession Number
1924.213
Tags
male
About this artwork
According to legend, in 846 A.D. during a battle in Clavijo, one of the Christ's apostles and the patron saint of Spain, Saint James the Greater, miraculously appeared on the battlefield and helped the Christian armies of the Spanish king Ramirez defeat Muslim forces. Martin Schongauer portrays the climax of the battle, as Saint James appears on his steed at the center of the scene amidst gruesome beheaded corpses and dismembered limbs. The saint is brandishing a sword and wearing a scallop shel...