Collection: St. Philip

ARTIST: Museum Religious Art Classics

ARTWORK NARRATIVE:

Artist: Peter Paul Rubens – c. 1611

Peter Paul Rubens the disciples of Christ are represented in the style the painter used around 1612-1613. These are large figures of forceful appearance and considerable plasticity, contrasting with the dark backgrounds. The use of these human types and the intensely directed light are the result of the painter´s trip to Italy, where he was influenced by the art of Michelangelo. The saints are depicted with their most representative attributes in order to facilitate their identification.

Philip the Apostle was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to New Testament. Later Christian traditions describe Philip as the apostle who preached in Greece, Syria, and Phrygia. Here, St. Philip is seen with the martyr´s x-shaped cross.

His feast day is May 3.