Agostino Busti, known
as Bambaia, was a very refined sculptor active in Milan in the first half of
the sixteenth century. The tomb dedicated to
the French military commander Gaston de Foix is considered his absolute
masterpiece, but the work was never finished and the pieces already carved
remained scattered about the church of Santa Marta (for which the funeral
monument was intended) waiting to be acquired by whoever might be interested.
This male figure representing an apostle is exhibited in Hall 9 of the Museum
along with four other statues of apostles, all datable between 1517 and 1521.
The soft flow of drapery and the intense gestures of the figures are proof of
the great skill of Bambaia and reflect the influence of classical sculpture,
which the artist had studied during his time in Rome