The Miracles of Saint James the Greater

JPG • 2673 × 3400 PX • 1.3 MB
Curatorial Notes

Noël Nicolas Coypel combined two stories associated with Saint James the Greater, one of the twelve apostles of Christ. In the foreground is the magician Hermogenes, begging forgiveness. Hermogenes had cast a spell on James, but the saint turned the curse back on him. When James offered to protect Hermogenes against the demons assaulting him, the magician cast aside his pagan texts in favor of Christianity. According to the second legend, James miraculously cured a paralytic man (in the middle ground at right), thereby averting his own execution and causing the prosecutor to convert. Although this painting is relatively small, the clear composition, grand architectural setting, and dignified and expressive poses of the figures endow it with monumental presence.

Artwork Identification

Title The Miracles of Saint James the Greater
Title (PT) Os Milagres de São Tiago Maior
Title (ES) Los Milagros de Santiago el Mayor
Artist Noël Nicolas Coypel
Artist Bio Noël Nicolas Coypel (French, 1690–1734)
Date 1726
Work Type Painting

Location & Collection

License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
Ars Sancta