Saint Margaret 1467 - 1483

Michael Pacher carved this limewood sculpture of Saint Margaret sometime in the late 15th century. Images of saints played a significant role in late medieval Europe, reinforcing the power and authority of the Catholic Church. As literacy was limited, these statues served as visual reminders of religious stories. Saint Margaret was particularly popular, celebrated as the patron saint of pregnant women, falsely accused people, and those close to death. Notice how Pacher depicts Margaret wearing a crown and trampling a dragon. These are visual cues referring to the legend of Saint Margaret in which she was swallowed by Satan in the form of a dragon but escaped alive when the cross she carried irritated the dragon's belly. This statue, then, is not simply a sculpture of a woman but an assertion of the triumph of good over evil. Historians consult a range of sources such as religious texts, local histories, and artists' biographies to interpret works like this. Approaching art through the lens of its social and cultural context, we gain a richer understanding of its intended function and the values it upholds.