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.
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Isabella Childs
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