Head of Saint James the Greater

Unknown

1450–1500 · Limestone with traces of paint · The Cloisters

Carved with virtuoso technical mastery, this majestic head of Saint James originally formed a full-length figure similar to the nearby sculptures from Poligny, France. As a popular protectorate saint for pilgrims, James was revered throughout France and Spain. His melancholic appearance is counterbalanced by an extravagant wooly hat emblazoned with his symbol, the scallop shell. The commanding presence and serenity of expression is exceptional in 15th-century French sculpture. The carver was influenced by the great Burgundian court sculptor Claus Sluter, active in Dijon around 1400.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1450–1500

Medium

Limestone with traces of paint

Culture

French

Department

The Cloisters

Credit line

Purchase, The Cloisters Collection and Audrey Love Charitable Foundation Gift, 2015