The cult of St. Veit, a twelve year old boy martyred in the fourth century in Sicily, was much followed in the whole of Europe. His intercessions were particularly sought for epilepsy and rabies, amongst other human and animal illnesses. He was also the patron saint of pot and cauldron makers. His attributes are a book, a lion, a cockerel, a hanging lamp, a cauldron, a palm leaf and bread.
The best-known depiction of St. Veit is the wood group by Veit Stoss, circa 1520, in Nürnberg (Nürnberg, op. cit.), where he is depicted in an attitude of prayer in a three-legged cauldron. Another depiction, somewhat earlier in date and closer to the present example in the presence of flaming logs beneath the cauldron, is in the church at Schwaz, in the Tirol (Müller, op. cit.). In this example, the saint is shown holding a cockerel in his right hand, as one can assume the present example also held attributes - perhaps a cockerel and a palm leaf.