Saint John on Patmos, Apocalyptic Vision, Flemish School, Flanders, first third of the 17th century

Saint John on Patmos, Apocalyptic Vision, Follower of Maarten de Vos, ca. 1620
Oil on copper, 30 × 22.5 cm (without frame)
Flemish School, Flanders, first third of the 17th century

Saint John the Evangelist is shown seated on the island of Patmos beside his eagle, writing the Book of Revelation. In the upper part unfolds the vision of the Woman crowned with twelve stars, “clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet,” confronted by the red seven-headed dragon — a scene inspired by chapter XII of the Apocalypse.

The composition derives from the celebrated engraving by Johann Sadeler I, executed around 1580 after a lost design by Maarten de Vos. This print, widely circulated in Antwerp and northern Europe, became a principal source for later Flemish interpretations of the Apocalypse. A version of the same subject attributed to Jasper van der Laenen is also recorded in the photographic archive of the RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History, confirming the diffusion of this iconography in early-seventeenth-century Flanders.

In this painting, the artist reinterprets the model with originality and atmospheric sensitivity, enriching it with a luminous landscape and refined color harmonies. The angels surrounding the Woman, painted with silvery transparencies and almost spectral bodies, are a strikingly inventive feature within Flemish painting of the period.

The background with its arched bridge and tranquil waters combines accurate natural observation with imaginative freedom. The dragon, with its sinuous, decorative form, adds a mannerist and visionary touch to the sacred vision.

This small copper painting exemplifies the technical virtuosity of Flemish masters who exploited the reflective properties of the metal support. The copper-based greens, with shimmering emerald and turquoise hues, contrast with the deep reds and golden highlights enlivening draperies and architecture, producing an inner radiance of remarkable intensity.

Condition: very delicate retouching is visible on the Woman’s robe and in a few marginal areas, due to the naturally lower adhesion of pigments on copper. Overall, the painting preserves an exceptional chromatic vitality and remains in good condition, with much of its original brilliance intact.