The Conversion of Saint Paul
early 17th–late 17th century
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 16 15/16 in. × 21 in. (43 × 53.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.573
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Conversion of Saint Paul a striking 17th-century engraving designs by the Flemish Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens, masterfully executed by engraver Johannes Meyssens This large-scale print (16 15/16 × 21 in.) captures the dramatic biblical moment when Saul, en route to Damascus, is blind by a divine light and thrown from his horse—an encounter with the resurrected Christ that transforms him into the apostle Paul. Rubens' composition bursts with Baroque energy: swirling angels, rearing horses, and fallen men convey chaos, revelation, and awe in a whirlwind of light and shadow. Eng...
About the Artist
Peter Paul Rubens|Johannes Meyssens · 1577–1640
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) stands as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition and the greatest exponent of Baroque painting's dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Born in Siegen, Westphalia, and raised in Antwerp, Rubens received a humanist education studying Latin and classical literature before pursuing artistic training under three masters: Tobias Verhaecht, Adam ...