Apostle Paul 1629

Jan Lievens made this painting of the Apostle Paul using oil on canvas. The rough texture of the canvas support is evident beneath the thin layers of paint, giving a sense of immediacy to the image. It is as if we are looking at the Apostle in the act of writing. The layered brushstrokes create depth and form to Paul's face and hands, and the pages of the book, which are the focus of light. Lievens was one of the most prominent artists of the Dutch Golden Age, known for his mastery of light and shadow and his ability to capture the human form with sensitivity and detail. But his skill was tied to a culture in which artists were essentially manufacturers. They relied on workshop assistance to create many works, and cater to the demands of a burgeoning market for paintings among the rising middle class. Looking at the materiality of this painting reminds us that even the most spiritual-seeming images are rooted in concrete realities of production and consumption.