Head of Saint James the Greater

French

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 305

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.

Head of Saint James the Greater, Limestone with traces of paint, French

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Head of Saint James the Greater, Limestone with traces of paint, French
Head of Saint James the Greater, Limestone with traces of paint, French
Head of Saint James the Greater, Limestone with traces of paint, French
Head of Saint James the Greater, Limestone with traces of paint, French
Head of Saint James the Greater, Limestone with traces of paint, French
Head of Saint James the Greater, Limestone with traces of paint, French
Head of Saint James the Greater, Limestone with traces of paint, French
Head of Saint James the Greater, Limestone with traces of paint, French

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