Artwork
Cabeza de San Pablo
Cabeza de San Pablo is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. It dates from 1601 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Cabeza de San Pablo is an oil-on-canvas painting created in 1601, exemplifying the early Italian Baroque style. It is a representation of Saint Paul's head, rendered in a realistic manner.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a reclining figure, identified as Saint Paul, wrapped in a light-colored cloth, with a dark background and a pair of crossed wooden objects beside him. The figure's face and hands are illuminated, while the rest of the scene remains in shadow.
Technique & Style
The artist employs chiaroscuro, a technique that utilizes strong contrasts between light and dark to create a dramatic effect, highlighting the subject's face and hands.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the collection at Madrid's Museo del Prado.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo ( mure-IL-oh, m(y)uu-REE-oh, Spanish: ; late December 1617, baptised 1 January 1618 – 3 April 1682) was a Spanish Baroque painter.
