Die Rettung des Heiligen Paulus 

Erasmus Quellinus made this drawing of “The Rescue of Saint Paul” using pen and brush with grey wash on paper. Quellinus worked in the tradition of the Flemish Baroque, a style dominated by painters like Rubens and Van Dyck. Wash drawings like this one were a key part of this tradition. They allowed for a very fluid way of working, with the artist quickly establishing areas of light and shadow. The technique demands an assured hand, but the relatively cheap materials involved mean that many more drawings survive than paintings from the period. Here, Quellinus uses delicate lines to define the contours of figures, and the hatching gives a sense of depth and volume to their drapery. The grey wash skillfully models the forms and adds drama to the scene. In a society defined by faith, Quellinus captures a moment of divine intervention, but also reminds us of the power of the skilled hand to bring that moment to life.