Saint James the Less in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, January 2008

Workshop of Gil de Siloe
Saint James the Less

Alabaster
Spanish, Castilian, about 1500
From the Tomb of Juan de Padilla (died 1491), in the monastic church of Eresdelval, now in the Museo Arqueologico Provincial, Burgos

Accession # 16.32.153

The Apostle Saint James was one of seven original statues that adorned the summit of the wall tomb of Juan de Padilla, a young knight in the service of the Spanish kings.

In style and composition, the statuette recalls the sculpture of Gil de Siloe, yet the quality of execution suggests the hand of a workshop assistant.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.