Charles Claude Dauphin
Charles Claude Dauphin
St. Paul abducted to the third heaven
St. Paul abducted to the third heaven
The entire painting series aims to depict, with large paintings, episodes from the life of St. Paul, commented on by inscriptions taken from the Acts of the Apostles and other Pauline sources.
The entire painting series aims to depict, with large paintings, episodes from the life of St. Paul, commented on by inscriptions taken from the Acts of the Apostles and other Pauline sources.
Medium: oil on canvas
Medium: oil on canvas
Introduction
The painting depicts the story from the Second Epistle to the Corinthians written by St. Paul: a man, almost certainly the saint himself, is abducted and taken up to the third heaven, i.e. paradise, located beyond the earthly atmosphere and the heaven of the stars. Here, according to the text, the man is listening to mysterious words that no one is allowed to utter. The painting is characterised by the interweaving bodies and colours and the play of light and shadow from which the red drape of the saint's cloak emerges.
The work is located at Gallerie d'Italia - Torino.
The painting depicts the story from the Second Epistle to the Corinthians written by St. Paul: a man, almost certainly the saint himself, is abducted and taken up to the third heaven, i.e. paradise, located beyond the earthly atmosphere and the heaven of the stars. Here, according to the text, the man is listening to mysterious words that no one is allowed to utter. The painting is characterised by the interweaving bodies and colours and the play of light and shadow from which the red drape of the saint's cloak emerges.
The work is located at Gallerie d'Italia - Torino.
St. Paul, in the centre of the work, is in flight supported at his sides by two angels and, at his feet, by a group of cherubs, one of whom is holding an open book and a sword, traditional Pauline attributes. He is raised above the dark, heavy clouds and is portrayed with his
face, young and bearded, turned to the left.
St. Paul, in the centre of the work, is in flight supported at his sides by two angels and, at his feet, by a group of cherubs, one of whom is holding an open book and a sword, traditional Pauline attributes. He is raised above the dark, heavy clouds and is portrayed with his
face, young and bearded, turned to the left.
His arms are outstretched and he is contemplating, with an ecstatic expression, a mirror held by two cherubs. The mirror is mentioned several times in St. Paul's writings because it alludes to the limits of earthly knowledge, which, however, increases when we reach paradise.
His arms are outstretched and he is contemplating, with an ecstatic expression, a mirror held by two cherubs. The mirror is mentioned several times in St. Paul's writings because it alludes to the limits of earthly knowledge, which, however, increases when we reach paradise.
On the left, in the lower part of the canvas, a small bipartite coat of arms in blue and gold was added at a later date to identify the commissioner, namely Carlo Bianco, Count of San Secondo controller, councillor and Secretary of State and Finance to Duke Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy.
On the left, in the lower part of the canvas, a small bipartite coat of arms in blue and gold was added at a later date to identify the commissioner, namely Carlo Bianco, Count of San Secondo controller, councillor and Secretary of State and Finance to Duke Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy.
Underneath, a cartouche with an inscription in Latin illustrates the subject of the scene. The work is an expression of French Baroque painting of the second half of the 17th century, characterised by a taste for light tones, a dramatic sense of composition and full coverage of the canvas with countless characters and monumental figures.
Underneath, a cartouche with an inscription in Latin illustrates the subject of the scene. The work is an expression of French Baroque painting of the second half of the 17th century, characterised by a taste for light tones, a dramatic sense of composition and full coverage of the canvas with countless characters and monumental figures.