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French, Dordogne region

Apostle, ca. 1110

Now On View

Description

Maker

Culture

French

Title

Apostle

Year

ca. 1110

Medium

Limestone

Materials/Techniques

Materials

Dimensions

86.4 x 25.4 cm (34 x 10 inches)

Place

Dordogne region

Type

Credit

Museum Appropriation Fund

Object Number

41.045

About

The RISD Museum owns two limestone sculptures of Apostles (41.045 and 41.046) that were originally part of a horizontal sequence of twelve figures positioned above the main portal of a church in southwestern France. The figures are individually posed but share distinct stylistic characteristics, including stocky torsos, prominent heads, incised drapery folds, drilled pupils, and beaded haloes. Their large, open hands and upward glances would have been perceived by viewers as gestures of dialogue among one another. Their expressions of awe would have been directed toward a central motif of Christ ascending into heaven.

Dordogne region
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Projects & Publications

Publications

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

European Galleries

The exteriors of many medieval churches were decorated with stone carvings. The central motif above the main portal was generally a representation of Christ, often flanked by the 12 apostles he chose to spread his teachings.

The intense gazes and large raised hands of these two apostles express their devotion. Crowned with beaded haloes to indicate their saintliness, they also wear classical robes, a style that early Christian artists adopted from Roman sculptures.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Apostle with the accession number of 41.045. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.