The artwork “St James the Minor” is a religious painting by the renowned artist Peter Paul Rubens, who was a prominent figure in the Baroque art movement. This artwork depicts Saint James the Minor, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, often distinguished in Christian theology from James the Greater.
The artwork presents the apostle as an elderly figure with a contemplative expression, suggesting wisdom acquired through experience or possibly a moment of introspection. His visage is marked by the lines of age and a full beard, in keeping with traditional depictions of saints from the period. He wears a golden-yellow cloak with deep folds, a significant characteristic of Baroque art, where draperies often dramatize the scene through their complex play of light and shadow.
Saint James is shown holding a carpenter’s square, an attribute typically associated with him, which may signify his reputed profession and his role as a foundation builder of the Church. The artwork is marked by a chiaroscuro effect, with the strong contrast of light and shadow enhancing the three-dimensional form and contributing to the emotional intensity characteristic of Baroque art. The warm, earthy tones and the focused lighting on the figure give the painting a profound, meditative quality, inviting the viewer to reflect on the virtue and piety of the subject.
