Jusepe de RiberaSpanish, 1591–1652St Paul the Hermit
May one see it?
Unknown
Stockholm, Sweden
The owner is known; whether it is on view today is not.
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
Paul of Thebaid was considered the first of the hermits of Egypt – men and women who, to escape persecution as Christians in the 3rd century, chose a life of solitude for the sake of contemplation and asceticism. According to tradition, Paul remained in the desert for almost ninety years, wearing only a garment of woven palm leaves and subsisting on fruit and bread. Edifying images of the hermits’ lives, expressing the value of penitence, were popular subjects in counter-reformation art. Ribera’s portrayal demonstrates a rare understanding of Caravaggio’s lesson. The depicted moment represents the story’s emotional climax, Paul’s ecstatic vision and mystic communion with God, symbolised by the light. The saint’s pose, with its reference to the crucified Christ, indicates his willingness to heed Christ’s call to follow him.
Read on
His emaciated body is rendered with intransigent realism, every anatomical defect scrupulously transcribed. This stands in sharp contrast to the intense spirituality that radiates from his face. By working with a live model, the artist created an intensely human hero, a modern Saint Paul, and thus established an accessible role model for the faithful to emulate.
Nationalmuseum
Particulars
In the catalog
Sources
- Nationalmuseum
- Image: Nationalmuseum — Public Domain Mark 1.0
Meanwhile, in the life of Jusepe de Ribera
The whole life1616–1656 · Workplace
Naples
1643
His health begins to fail
From 1643 Ribera's health begins to deteriorate and his productivity declines; from 1644 ill health greatly limits his ability to work, although his workshop continues to produce pictures under his direction.
c. 1644
His daughter marries a Spanish nobleman
Around 1644 Ribera's daughter marries a Spanish nobleman in the administration, who dies soon after.
