Secondary sourceSculpture1401–1500

Statue of St Roch

1401–1500

A 15th-century German wooden statue of St Roch, the saint traditionally invoked against plague, shown with his dog and a visible bubo.

Represents the devotional cult of a plague saint that arose from the recurring epidemics following the Black Death.

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Carved dark wooden statue of St Roch standing on a base, wearing a hat and a cloak with a pilgrim's staff and gourd, with a small dog at his feet and a halo-like carved disc behind him. Carved in a medieval style. — Statue of St Roch, Germany, 1401–1500. Wellcome Collection.

About this source

What it is

This carved wooden statue, made in Germany sometime between 1401 and 1500, depicts St Roch, a pilgrim saint traditionally invoked for protection against plague. It is held by the Wellcome Collection.

Roch is shown wearing a pilgrim's hat and cloak, carrying a staff and gourd, accompanied by a small dog, with a visible plague bubo on his leg.

Why it matters

According to tradition, Roch nursed plague victims during an epidemic, caught the disease himself, and was cared for in isolation by a dog that brought him food. The statue reflects the religious devotion that grew around plague saints as communities sought protection and meaning amid repeated outbreaks across the late medieval and early modern centuries.

Look closer

Why do you think people turned to saints like Roch during times of plague?
What details in the statue connect to the story of Roch's illness and recovery?
What does the survival of objects like this tell you about how communities coped with repeated epidemics?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of The Black Death on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.