Saint James the Less was one of the Twelve Apostles and is commonly identified in the Gospels as James the son of Alphaeus. From early Christian tradition onward, he was also associated with James, described as “the brother of the Lord,” who emerged as a leading figure in the Jerusalem church and is sometimes referred to as James the Just.

According to later tradition, James presided over the Christian community in Jerusalem and was known for his piety and authority within the early Church. He is said to have been martyred in Jerusalem, possibly by stoning, though accounts of his death vary. His complex identification and overlapping traditions contributed to his distinct title, the Less, which serves to distinguish him from James the Greater.

Saint James in Art

Saint James the Less ⓘ appears in Christian art primarily as a member of the apostolic group and, in later traditions, as a leader of the early Church in Jerusalem. Unlike James the Greater, he does not develop a strong, widely recognisable iconographic identity, and his visual representation is often shaped by the ambiguity surrounding his identification with James the son of Alphaeus and with James “the brother of the Lord”. In apostolic cycles and Last Supper scenes, James the Less is usually depicted among the Twelve, sometimes distinguished by an inscription or attribute rather than by a consistent visual type. In later medieval and early modern art, where he is identified with James the Just, he may appear as a figure of authority within the Jerusalem church, occasionally associated with martyrdom imagery, including stones or a club, reflecting traditions concerning his death. His relative iconographic restraint reflects both the complexity of his historical identity and his lesser prominence in Western devotional practice compared with James the Greater.