Spanish school, second half of the 17th century. "St.... Lot 27

Spanish school, second half of the 17th century. "St. James the Apostle". Carved and polychrome wood. It has faults and damage. Traces of xylophages. Measurements: 90 x 40 x 30 cm. In this Baroque carving, worked in half bulk, we recognise St. James the Apostle by his attributes: the book that he holds in his left hand, the wooden reed that he held in his right hand (it has been lost), and the pilgrim's shell that decorates his hat. It has a lid on the side for access to the interior. Aesthetically, the work follows the stylistic precepts of the Baroque, as can be seen in the treatment of the fabrics that form the tunic, and the anatomical volume, seeking naturalistic verism. The costumes are rendered with particular attention to detail. Also noteworthy is the expressive rendering of the countenance, with its mature features and large, benevolent eyes. In the Bible he is usually referred to by the name of James, a term that passed into Latin as Iacobus and became names such as Iago, Tiago and Santiago (sanctus Iacobus). James of Zebedee or James the Greater was one of the first disciples to shed his blood and die for Jesus. A member of a family of fishermen, brother of John the Evangelist - both nicknamed Boanerges ('Sons of Thunder'), because of their impulsive temperaments - and one of the three closest disciples of Jesus Christ, the apostle James was not only present at two of the most important moments in the life of the Christian Messiah - the transfiguration on Mount Tabor and the prayer in the Garden of Olives - but was also part of the small group that witnessed his last miracle, his resurrection on the shores of Lake Tiberias.