Saint Philip
Statuette
fifteenth century (made)
fifteenth century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The beardless Saint Philip is shown with a distinctive hair-style shaped into a zigzag fringe on the forehead. He wears a robe and a cloak draped from his left shoulder and in his right hand, on a cloth, he carries his emblem, three loaves of a typical medieval shape to represent the Feeding of the Five Thousand. From his left arm hangs a long scroll which presumably originally bore the words of the Apostles' Creed attributed to him. The saint's head has been broken off and repaired. His left hand is missing. There is some damage at the figure's shoulders.
Saint Philip was present at the miracle of the Feeding of the Five thousand whereby Jesus fed a multitude of people with only five loaves and two fishes.
Saint Philip was present at the miracle of the Feeding of the Five thousand whereby Jesus fed a multitude of people with only five loaves and two fishes.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Title | Saint Philip |
| Materials and techniques | Carved alabaster |
| Brief description | Statuette, alabaster, St Philip, English, fifteenth century |
| Physical description | Statuette, alabaster with flattened back. The beardless saint is shown with a distinctive hair-style, the hair shaped into a zigzag fringe on the forehead. He wears a robe and a cloak drpaed from his left shoulder. In his right hand, on a cloath, he carries his emblem, three loaves of a typical medieval shape to represent the Feeding of the Five Thousand. From his left arm hangs a long scroll which presumably originally bore the words of the Apostles' Creed attributed to him. The saint's head has been broken off and repaired. His left hand is missing. There is some damage at the figure's shoulders. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Given by Dr W.L Hildburgh after having been on loan since 1924. |
| Historical context | This figure appears to be from the same altarpiece as the figures of Saint Bartholomew, St James the Less and Saint Jude. They form part of a set of the twelve apostles, possibly from St. Avit-les-Guespières, Sarthe. There is another figure of St Philip in the present collection, in the Apostles Creed Altarpiece. Figures of the Saint in English Alabaster are recorded at Abergavenny on the side of the tomb of William ap-Thomas (c.1450) and at Tong, Shropshire, on the side of the tomb of Sir Richard Vernon (d.1451) Other figures of the saint include one in the George Collection, Connecticut, one in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow and a fragment in the collection of Oscott College, near Birmingham. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The beardless Saint Philip is shown with a distinctive hair-style shaped into a zigzag fringe on the forehead. He wears a robe and a cloak draped from his left shoulder and in his right hand, on a cloth, he carries his emblem, three loaves of a typical medieval shape to represent the Feeding of the Five Thousand. From his left arm hangs a long scroll which presumably originally bore the words of the Apostles' Creed attributed to him. The saint's head has been broken off and repaired. His left hand is missing. There is some damage at the figure's shoulders. Saint Philip was present at the miracle of the Feeding of the Five thousand whereby Jesus fed a multitude of people with only five loaves and two fishes. |
| Bibliographic reference | Cheetham, Francis. English Medieval Alabasters. Oxford: Phaidon-Christie's Limited, 1984. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.59:1-1946 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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