Saint James the Greater, ca. 1455 – 1460

About the Work

Believers could recognize themselves in the humanness of the twelve apostles. And precisely this quality was emphasized again and again in Christian depictions, as for example in these engravings by the Master E.S.: the faces of James the Greater and Simon the Zealot (33619) display individuality and the marks of life, their clothing is simple and practical, all in all they seem approachable. At the same time, their attributes identify them as apostles and thus as especially powerful saints, and their thrones further underscore their importance.