1. Hungarian Late Gothic Painting and Sculpture (15-16th c.)

The tomb of St. James Major in the basilica of Santiago de Compostela in Spain was one of the most visited pilgrimage places in medieval Europe. St. James was venerated all over in the Christian world; the small village Szentjakabfalva (literally: “Saint James’ village”, present-day Jakub in Slovakia) in Zólyom County in Upper Hungary was even named after the saint. These panels were originally the movable wings of the high altarpiece of the church of this village. The central case of the altarpiece must have contained – like the famous altarpiece of Lõcse (present-day Levoèa in Slovakia) – the statue of St. James, while the wings recount two legends in eight scenes from his life. Queen Lupa of Galicia first refused to allow the martyr’s body enter her country, but then, on seeing the unrestrainable oxen that pulled the body back into her palace without being steered, she was converted, and buried the earthly remains of the apostle with due honour. The second story dates already from the time of the pilgrimages, when a family of three – father, mother, and son – was travelling to Santiago de Compostela and put up at an inn on the way. The innkeeper’s daughter fell in love with the son, but he refused her. She revenged herself on the youth by accusing him with theft, and the local judge had the young man hanged. The parents then went to pray to the tomb of St. James. On the way back, they found their son alive on the rope, so they appeared before the judge and insisted that the boy lived. They judge disbelieved this and said derisively: “Your son is alive like this roasted rooster on my plate is alive.” At this moment, the rooster flew up from the table. The news of the miraculous escape of the boy further strengthened the pilgrims’ trust in the interceding powers of the apostle saint.