Offered by Galerie William Diximus
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The work can be compared with a painting listed in the catalog raisonné
of “Jan Massys renaissance painter of flemish female beauty” by Maria Clelia Galassi, publisher Brepols
painting page 207 reference no. 7-15: oil on panel by Jan Massys and workshop, very similar to our painting, depicts Saint Paul, sword on table, velvet sheet to left behind him, only the landscape is replaced by a carved marble column of similar size.
and also listed on the website of the Netherlands Institute of Art History (RKD)
the panel is composed of 3 wooden boards.
Saint Paul, of Jewish origin, was born in Tarsus, Turkey, in the year 9 A.D. He was one of the great specialists in Judaism of his time, and became one of the advisors to the Sanhedrin (Jewish religious assembly).
His career was full of contradictions: at first, he led the hunt for Christians, but in 42 A.D. he was overcome by a supernatural force that asked him
"Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
He converted and took the name Paul. He was the instigator of the separation of Judaism and Christianity. His 14 letters are an important part of the New Testament.
He is depicted surrounded by his books and a sword, a reminder of his fighting past.
Biography:
Son of Quentin Metsys or Massys, one of the masters of the Flemish Primitives (1466-1530), he began his career with him and Jacob Osket.
Jan Massys soon achieved great renown, but a religious quarrel forced him into exile, first in France, where he drew inspiration from the mannerism of the Fontainebleau school, then in Italy, where he enriched himself with portraits of the Italian masters.
His paintings are characterized by figures of great beauty, with slender silhouettes whose gaze seems to vanish into the horizon.
His works can be found in the following museums: Paris le Louvre, Antwerp, Brussels, Dresden , Madrid le Prado ......
Dimension with frame : 117 cm x 98 cm
Dimension without frame : 93.2 cm x 73.8 cm
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
