Jacobean episodes in the Santiago Cathedral
Discover the different Jacobean themes present in the paintings of the cathedral collection.
ReadSeated St. James (1748) by José Antonio García de BouzasThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The remains of St. James the Apostle are kept in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, which is why the iconography of St. James occupies an important place, being very present in the pictorial collection and in the works housed in the Museum.
Illuminated Initial of the Codex Calixtinus. I of Iacobus (Mid 12th century) by Compostelan ScriptoriumThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
Two episodes of great importance stand out in the Jacobean tradition: the Traslatio, or the transfer of the apostle's body to Galicia, and the Inventio or discovery of the relics.
The Traslatio
According to tradition, after Santiago was martyred, his disciples, Theodore and Athanasius, recovered his body and took it to the port of Jaffa. From there, he undertook the miraculous journey to Iria Flavia, before being transferred to Compostela.
Life of Saint James the Greater (1780) by Manuel Arias VarelaThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
This theme was captured in the vault of the chapterhouse by Manuel Arias Varela in 1780, creating a work that is considered the ‘crowning glory of Compostela's Baroque style’.
The transfer of the remains of St James the Apostle (1856-1859) by Raimundo de MadrazoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
There are also examples of this episode in the contemporary paintings in the Cathedral Museum of Santiago, such as the moment of disembarkation depicted by Raimundo de Madrazo in ‘The Transfer of the Remains of the Apostle Saint James to the Seat of Padrón’, his first known work.
Traslatio represented in the Panels for the Ibero-American Exposition in Seville (1929) by Juan Luis López GarcíaThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The painter Juan Luis also depicted the ‘Transfer of the Apostle's Body‘ in one of his panels for the Ibero-American Exposition in Seville in 1929. In the painting, the Apostle's body is shown on a cart pulled by tamed oxen and accompanied by his disciples.
The traditions of Saint James apostle in Galicia (1897) by Modesto BrocosThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
Special mention should be made of the work by Modesto Brocos, As Tradiciones do Apóstolo Santiago en Galicia, executed in 1899, which, arranged in the form of a triptych, depicts on one of its panels the moment of the landing at Iria Flavia.
The Inventio
Centuries after the transfer and burial of the apostle, what is known as Inventio took place, the discovery of his remains in the 9th century by the hermit Pelayo and the Bishop of Iria Flavia, Teodomiro. This discovery marked the beginning of the pilgrimage to Compostela.
Inventio of the Apostle’s Remains in the painting The Traditions of the Apostle Saint James in Galicia (1899) by Modesto BrocosThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
This episode is represented in the aforementioned Triptych by Modesto Brocos, whose central panel depicts the moment prior to the discovery, as narrated by Archbishop Gelmirez in the Historia Compostelana.
Stained Glass Window Project for the Obradoiro Façade (Late 19th-early 20th centuries) by Atributted to Modesto Brocos or Roberto González del BlancoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The representation of the sepulchre with luminaries can also be seen in the coat of arms of the chapter supported by angels in the Proyecto de Vidrieras para la Fachada del Obradoiro, attributed to the same author.
Tumbo A (1129) by Compostelano ScriptoriumThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The episode of La Inventio is also depicted, according to Gelmirez's account, on folio 1v of Tumbo A (ca. 1129), where Bishop Theodomyrus is depicted at the moment of confirming the discovery of the apostle's tomb, together with a turiferous angel.
Inventio (1880) by Laureano Cao CordidoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
This type of representation initiates an iconographic model that will be followed for centuries, as can be seen in the work La Inventio (1880) by Laureano Cao Cordido, a piece that must be related to the rediscovery of the apostolic relics in 1879.
The 365 Faces of the Apostle Saint James (2021) by David PlanasThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
We can therefore conclude that over the years, various episodes of the iconography of St. James have been depicted, consolidating a visual narrative that combines faith, history and tradition and bears witness to the importance of the cult of St. James.
Director: Ramón Yzquierdo Peiró
Texts: Claudia Gómez Cabrera, Ana Eiroa Candal
Images: Fundación Catedral de Santiago.
This exhibition is part of the project Historia Pinxit. Spaces, themes and characters in the painting of the Cathedral of Compostela, framed within the FO200 programme of grants to foundations and non-profit organisations in the Province of A Coruña, owners of museums, interpretation centres or libraries for the development of cultural activities during the year 2024 of the Provincial Council of A Coruña.
