In the context of this artwork, explain the Saint Maurice of the Subject.
In November 2014 a different explanation was offered by the literary and medieval scholar Marie-José Govers. She claimed the figure represented Saint Maurice, a Roman soldier who by tradition came from Thebes. Govers was to publish her research in 2015 but did so earlier to refute the remarks of Pijbes. She said that the figure depicted was an important man, not a servant. She bases this on the goatskin gloves, the belt which is covered with gemstones and the sword. She also adds that the sword is especially an attribute of Saint Maurice and that the pilgrim badge of Mary on his red beret makes him a Catholic. Govers adds that the time when the painting was made is also important. Govers claims this to be between 1520 and 1525 (disagreeing with the Rijksmuseum's view that the latter is about the earliest likely date). During that period Martin Luther was seen as a threat by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and was excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1520. Struggles between Catholics and Protestants were often violent. The depiction of Saint Maurice, a Christian who refused to fight against other Christians, could be related to this.The art historian and curator Esther Schreuder disagrees with Govers's findings, stating that the evidence presented by Govers is too meager. Schreuder claims the sword is a typical symbol for a soldier and that Saint Maurice is most often depicted with a holy spear.Saint Maurice was very often depicted as a black soldier in northern Europe, and the years just before Mostaert's painting had produced such depictions in altarpieces by the leading artists Matthias Grünewald (c. 1517–23) and Lucas Cranach the Elder (1522–25).  But the small size of the Mostaert is more typical of a personal portrait.
beret Pope Leo X Thebes Lucas Cranach the Elder Saint Maurice goatskin Matthias Grünewald Rijksmuseum Martin Luther Charles V pilgrim badge altarpiece