St. Paul Writing

by Isabella Childs January 08, 2021

man staring at crucifix

    This artwork, by Baroque painter, Andrea Sacchi, depicts Saint Paul in the act of writing his Epistles.

    St. Paul sits at a small, light brown carved table. He holds a pen in either hand and looks up at a crucifix, which stands on the table in a carved gold stand. Directly in front of Paul, on the table, is a tabletop writing desk. The tabletop writing desk is golden brown in color. Some cherubs and lambs are carved on the side of it. A white scroll lies on the slanted part of the little desk. Most of the scroll is laid out flat; the bottom part of the scroll is rolled. There is black writing on the top half of the scroll. A black inkwell stands to the right of the tabletop desk. To the right of the crucifix, on the table, is a small, red-bound book. A large sword, with a red and gold hilt, stands propped up beside the table. Only the sword’s hilt and the top of the blade are visible.

    St. Paul is positioned in the left two-thirds of the painting. He appears to be about forty-five years of age, with medium skin, thick auburn-brown hair, and a beard. The saint wears a light blue robe and a red cloak, which is draped over his left arm, his back, and his lap. Above St. Paul’s head is a gold, oval halo.

    The wall near St. Paul’s back is green. Behind Paul’s head is part of a brown wall. To the right of the brown wall is a rectangular window space, through which an outdoor scene is visible. The outdoor scene consists of some yellow, rolling farmland, a peasant walking across the farmland with a sack over his shoulder, a river beyond the farmland, two small groves of trees, a white castle across the river, the outline of a peasant nearing the castle, and a pale blue mountain range and sky beyond the castle.

    Download this high-resolution image.




Isabella Childs
Isabella Childs

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