St. James the Great

The engraving features St. James the Great in the foreground, identifiable by his pilgrim's staff, gourd, and a book. In the background, the narrative unfolds as the saint kneels with crossed arms while an executioner prepares to strike, surrounded by Roman soldiers and spectators on horseback. The setting combines classical ruins with contemporary Renaissance architecture, including a prominent dome.

Hendrick Goltzius was a leading figure of the Haarlem Mannerists, a circle whose aesthetic focused on the 'hand' of the artist as a reflection of divine creativity. This series of Apostles demonstrates the transition of late-medieval hagiography into the high-technical mastery of Dutch Mannerism, bridging the gap between traditional religious devotion and the intellectual humanism of the early modern period.