c. 1840

Saints Crispin and Crispian-The Patron Saints of Cobblers

French, 1800 - 1863

According to legend, Saints Crispin and Crispian were two Roman noblemen who converted to Christianity in the third century. To escape persecution under Emperor Diocletian, they fled to Soissons, an ancient town of northern France, where they set up a cobbler shop and made shoes to be given to the poor. Images of these saints were tacked to the walls of cobblers' shops both to serve as model Christians and to protect those practicing the profession. Similar works of patron saints were made for bakers, beer brewers, and metalsmiths.