Saint James as a pilgrim, unknown maker from France

Label Sep-2009:
Pilgrimages journeys to holy sites became increasingly popular for Christians in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Pilgrims walked hundreds of miles to holy shrines and cities both near and far. These long journeys, which were dangerous, full of hardship, and required leaving families and fields for months at a time, were often undertaken to atone for sins. However, a long pilgrimage might also be taken to come into close contact with the divine through relics objects associated with a holy person or even which were known for their miraculous and healing powers. St. James was closely associated with pilgrimage in Western Europe. The repository of his relics, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela on the western coast of Spain, became the primary pilgrimage destination after Rome. In the Spencer’s sculpture, we see St. James dressed not as a first-century disciple, but as a medieval pilgrim like those on the road to visit his shrine. He wears a loose robe and sandals and carries a walking stick and pilgrim’s canteen. On his head he wears a floppy hat, on which are pictured staffs like the one he carries, and cockle shells. The cockle shell was the particular symbol of Santiago de Compostela, although it was widely used in the medieval period as shorthand to identify any pilgrim.

Archive Label:
Saint James the Greater (called “Santiago” in Spain) was one of Christ’s twelve apostles; he traveled as a missionary to Spain following the Crucifixion. When he returned to Jerusalem in 44 A.D., James was put to death by Herod. His disciples carried his body back to Spain for burial, and his tomb became an important pilgrimage site.

Saint James is shown in typical medieval pilgrim’s dress. The short garment and heavy sandals were appropriate for travel by foot. The staff or walking stick has a hook on which to hang the canteen or pilgrim’s bottle. The broadbrimmed hat protected the traveler form both sun and rain. The scallop shell and crossed staves on the hat are badges of the pilgrim to the shrine in Santiago de Compostela.

Signs of exposure to weather indicate that this sculpture was at one time on the exterior of a building, where it was situated somewhat above eye level. The sculptor considered this location in the way he carved the work: the saint’s head juts forward so that it will be fully visible from below; the carving of the legs continues upward under the hem of the garment, to compensate for the fact that the piece will be viewed from a lower vantage point.