St. James Minor, from Christ, the Twelve Apostles and St. Paul

Art Historical Context

Lambert Suavius created this engraving of St. James Minor as part of a larger series titled *Christ, the Twelve and St. Paul*. between 1525 and 1576, the work exemplifies the Northern Renaissance interest in detailed religious imagery intended for both devotional and educational use. As an engraving, it belongs to a medium prized for its ability to reproduce fine lines and textures, allowing such images to circulate widely among collectors and worshippers across Europe. The second state of the print indicates that Suavius revisited the plate to refine details, a common practice that reveals the artist’s attention to clarity and expression. St. James Minor is shown with traditional attributes that help viewers identify him among the apostles, underscoring the series’ role in teaching biblical narratives. Today, this impression resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Drawings and Prints department as part of the Elisha Whittelsey Collection. It offers visitors a window into how sixteenth-century printmakers blended faith, artistry, and technical skill to make sacred figures accessible beyond church walls.

About the Artist

Lambert Suavius · 1510–1576

Lambert Suavius (c.1510–c.1574/76), whose Flemish family name was Zutman, was born in Liège, in the southern Netherlands. He was the son of an episcopal goldsmith, Henri Zutman, and from his father's craft environment he inherited a training in the precise handling of metal and an appreciation for fine detail work. He became closely associated with his brother-in-law Lambert Lombard, the leading a...