German school; c. 1500.

German school; c. 1500.
"St. Peter and St. Paul".
Carved and polychrome wood.
The relief of St. Peter has a fracture and the back panels are from a later period.
Measurements: 129 x 52 x 13 cm (x2).
These two reliefs, belonging to the German school around 1500, represent Saint Peter and Saint Paul, two of the most important apostles of Christianity. Both figures are carved in polychrome wood and present a volumetric treatment characteristic of late German Gothic. From their dimensions and physiognomy, it is probable that these reliefs formed part of the door of a tabernacle, a fundamental element in the Christian liturgy.
St. Paul, on the left, is distinguished by a sword, symbol of his martyrdom, and a book, which alludes to his epistles and his crucial role in the spread of Christianity. His serene face and firm posture reinforce his image as an intellectual and preacher. St. Peter, on the right, holds the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, an attribute that refers to his role as the first Pope and founder of the Church. His expression is solemn, and the book he holds emphasizes his doctrinal authority.
The late Gothic German school was noted for its mastery in wood carving, with great expressiveness in the faces and a richness in the folds of the robes, as seen in these reliefs. German artisans of the time, influenced by the workshops of Nuremberg and Swabia, produced works of remarkable detail and great dramatic force, with a special interest in the texture and movement of the drapery.
The theme of the apostles Peter and Paul is recurrent in sacred art, as both represent the strength and doctrine of the Church. Their presence in a tabernacle reinforces their role as pillars of the Christian faith, entrusted with the mission of guiding and preserving the apostolic tradition. These pieces, for their technical quality and symbolic meaning, are testimony to the high artistic level reached by German religious sculpture in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.