Saint Augustine

Resplendent robes and a peaked headdress identify the person here as a bishop, absorbed in his book. A smaller man raises a red heart on a plate. This sign identifies the subject as the fourth-century Saint Augustine, who wrote an influential commentary on the biblical verse Proverbs 23:26 ("My son, give me thy heart…"). Fur-trimmed cuffs and a fancy purse contrast with the little figure’s humble posture, evoking Augustine’s call to reject material wealth and seek only spiritual rewards. The saint’s own vestments, studded with ostentatious gems and pearls, promised medieval viewers that the riches of heaven would far surpass those of the earth.