The Incredulity of St. Thomas, by Caravaggio

by Isabella Childs January 07, 2021

Our Lord and followers

    This is an image of Caravaggio’s famous Baroque painting called “The Incredulity of Saint Thomas”. The painting depicts the scene in which the apostle Thomas sees Jesus for the first time after the Savior’s resurrection and finally believes that Jesus has indeed risen from the dead.

    Jesus stands on the left side of the painting and Thomas, with two other apostles, stands near the Savior’s left shoulder.

    The Savior has pale skin, shoulder-length brown hair, and a thin beard. Christ’s chest is bare. A white cloak hangs from His right shoulder and  is wrapped around His lower body. With His right hand, Jesus holds the edge of His cloak hanging on His right side. Christ’s left hand is laid atop the hand of Thomas as Thomas thrusts his right index finger into a large gash in the Savior’s right side. Jesus looks down at Thomas’ right hand.

    The apostle Thomas appears to be about fifty years old. He has medium skin, shoulder-length brown hair, and a beard. He wears a light red robe and a dark brown cloak. Thomas bends slightly, looking towards the Savior’s right side, with his right index finger positioned in the Savior’s open wound. His left hand is placed on his hip. Thomas stretches his eyes and his forehead in amazement, so that his forehead is lined with many wrinkles.

    Slightly behind Thomas and to his right is an apostle with tan skin, black curly hair, and a beard. This apostle wears a red cloak. Of his body, only his head and left shoulder are fully visible. This apostle peers intently at the hand of Thomas and the wound of Christ. His face is lined with many fine wrinkles.

    The third apostle stands behind the other figures. Only his head is visible. This apostle has medium skin, thin gray hair, and a beard. He peers down at the hand of Thomas and the wound of Christ. His face is lined with many fine wrinkles.

    The background of the painting is dark brown in color.

    Download this digitally-restored image.




Isabella Childs
Isabella Childs

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