St. James the Greater 1610 - 1614

El Greco painted Saint James the Greater, portraying him cloaked in green, holding a staff. The staff and cloak are symbols of pilgrimage, representing James's role as a wandering preacher of the Gospel. Pilgrimage, as a motif, extends far beyond the Christian context. We find echoes in ancient Greek and Roman cultures, where journeys to sacred sites were common. Over time, the act of pilgrimage has become intertwined with the pursuit of knowledge and transformation, surfacing in various forms across cultures and epochs, carrying with it the emotional weight of hope, penance, and spiritual seeking. The image resonates with the psychological archetype of the journey—a deep-seated desire for exploration, a yearning to venture into the unknown, and a quest for self-discovery. This is a desire we continue to harbor in our collective consciousness. This symbol is not static, as it echoes across centuries and religions.