Saint James the Greater

Artist Unknown French artist , Burgundy

Datecirca 1400

MediumLimestone with traces of polychromy

Dimensionsheight, width, and depth: 26 × 9 1/2 × 6 in. (66 × 24.1 × 15.2 cm)

ClassificationsSculpture

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the State of North Carolina

Object number61.1.2

On View

On view

Label TextAccording to medieval Christian texts, James the Greater preached the gospel in Spain. Although he was martyred and buried in Jerusalem, his remains were reportedly discovered in northwestern Spain in the ninth century. By the twelfth century, the shrine of Santiago (“Saint James”) de Compostela was the third most popular pilgrimage destination after Jerusalem and Rome. The spread of Saint James’s cult led to the proliferation of artistic representations across Europe, especially along pilgrimage routes. In this statue the walking stick, bare feet, open book, and satchel signify James’s missionary work in Spain and status as patron saint of pilgrims. The cockleshell, which alludes to shells found on the Atlantic coast beyond Santiago, made him instantly recognizable to medieval viewers.
[L. Humphrey, "The People's Collection, Reimagined," 2026]
ProvenanceGeorge Gray Barnard Cloister Collection; Metropolitan Museum of ArtPublished ReferencesThe Art Quarterly (Winter 1961), 395, illus. 398.

La Chronique des Arts, Supplement a la Gazette des Beaux-Arts, no. 117 (February 1962), 22.

"Acquisitions," North Carolina Museum of Art Bulletin 4, nos. 2 and 3 (Winter-Spring 1964), briefly discussed 9, listed 64, illus. (b-w) 40.
Exhibition HistoryRaleigh, NC, North Carolina Museum of Art, "The People's Collection Reimagined," March 31, 2026-present. Object Rights Statement

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