St Christopher
Statuette
ca. 1520 (made)
ca. 1520 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
St Christopher, one of the most celebrated saints of the late Middle Ages, is shown here wading through the river with the Christ Child on his back. He is supporting himself with a large staff or walking stick. This was how the saint was usually shown throughout the late Middle Ages. Here the carver had added details to the traditional image. He has included fishes in the river and the unusual feature of a small tonsured and hooded figure riding in the belt-bag may be a monastic traveller. St Christopher was also prayed to for protection from sudden death. Images of him were especially popular just inside the entrances to churches, where they were usually painted on a colossal scale on piers.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | St Christopher (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Carved oak |
Brief description | Statuette, St Christopher and Christ Child, carved oak, Limburg, ca. 1520 |
Physical description | Group, carved oak. St. Christopher leaning on his staff, and bearing the Infant Christ on his shoulder, is crossing a stream. |
Dimensions |
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Object history | A.W.N. Pugin collection, sold 1853; collection of William Maskell; bought by the South Kensington Museum at the Maskell sale, 1890. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | St Christopher, one of the most celebrated saints of the late Middle Ages, is shown here wading through the river with the Christ Child on his back. He is supporting himself with a large staff or walking stick. This was how the saint was usually shown throughout the late Middle Ages. Here the carver had added details to the traditional image. He has included fishes in the river and the unusual feature of a small tonsured and hooded figure riding in the belt-bag may be a monastic traveller. St Christopher was also prayed to for protection from sudden death. Images of him were especially popular just inside the entrances to churches, where they were usually painted on a colossal scale on piers. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | 374-1890 |
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Record created | December 11, 2002 |
Record URL |
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