Saint Christopher
sculptor
Unknown
Dateabout 1400
Place MadeVenice, Veneto, Italy, Europe
MediumGilded lindenwood
Dimensions58.5 cm (23 1/16 in.)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Accession numberS28w2
eMuseum ID729399
EmbARK ObjectID12778
Original NumberS28w2*
TMS Source ID1839
Last Updated8/14/24
Status
Not on viewWeb Commentary
In Christian religions, Saint Christopher—the patron saint and protector of travelers—carried the Christ Child across a treacherous river on his shoulders.
This gilded lindenwood statue of Saint Christopher and the Christ Child is situated in the Chapel, tucked away in a choir stall. This sculpture of a saint is one of many placed in this area, which still functions as an active sacred space with a consecrated altar.
BibliographyNotesCornelius C. Vermeule III et al. Sculpture in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1977), p. 71, no. 99.
Kathleen King, "Saint Christopher: World's Best Travel Companion," Inside the Collection (blog), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 21 February 2023, https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/saint-christopher-worlds-best-travel-companion
Kathleen King, "Saint Christopher: World's Best Travel Companion," Inside the Collection (blog), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 21 February 2023, https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/saint-christopher-worlds-best-travel-companion
ProvenanceNotesPurchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from the antique dealer Dino Barozzi, Venice for 63 lire on 20 September 1899.
