Lot 01

SAINT PAUL

A polychrome stone statue of Paul of Tarsus, one of the most important New Testament figures. He is counted among the apostles, although he was not one of the original twelve and did not meet Jesus in person. His traditional attributes are a book and a sword. The book as a reminder of the epistles in the New Testament and the sword as a symbol of Paul's martyrdom, since as a regular Roman citizen he could not be crucified and had to die an honorable death, that is, by beheading. Comparable works can be found in the Basilica of Marija Zavetnica, Ptujska Gora. Provenance: private collection of H. H. Hofstätter.