This limestone relief depicts Saint Paul, identified by the instrument of his martyrdom, a sword. It is mounted on the façade of Casa Grande with its companion, a relief of Saint Peter, who holds the symbolic key to Heaven. The style of the reliefs, possibly inspired by the work of Damian Forment (1480-1540), dates them to around 1525. Hearst bought both reliefs at auction in May 1923. They were sold by Pedro Ruiz, who, with his two sons Luis and Raimundo, brought hundreds of Spanish works of art (including textiles, wood ceilings, furniture and ironwork) to the USA for sale in a series of a dozen auctions from 1919 to about 1926.
