Flemish school; first half of the 17th century. "Saint... Lot 37

Flemish school; first half of the 17th century. "Saint John writing the apocalypse on the island of Patmos". Oil on copper. With inscription on the back. Measurements: 27 x 17 cm. In this work the author gathers a religious story, in which one of the main parts of the Apocalypse of St. John is narrated, which gathers the revelations that the Evangelist had in Patmos. The text of Revelation states that John was on Patmos, a Greek island where, according to most biblical historians, he is considered to have been exiled as a result of anti-Christian persecution under the Roman Emperor Domitian. It was in a cave where he heard a voice "as of a trumpet" (Book of Revelation:10). When he turned around, he saw the figure of the Son of Man. However, in this image, the presence of the multi-headed monster indicates that the author is referring to chapter XVIII of the Book of Revelation, also known as the Book of Revelation. The scene is set in an idealised landscape with an abundance of bluish and greenish tones typical of the Flemish school. In the foreground, seated next to a large stone in front of a tree, is Saint John, dressed in a purple tunic and red cloak, writing in an open book, while he turns his head and gazes skywards. A golden border stands out in this scene, with a winged Woman in prayer, dressed in white on the fourth crescent of the moon, standing next to the multi-headed serpent. The scene is completed by the presence of the eagle, located on the earthly plane, next to the saint, as this is the representation of his emblem as the Tetramorph. Many of the aesthetic elements that form part of the pictorial tradition of the Flemish school can be seen in this work, such as a balanced and harmonious composition. Thus, the descriptive and detailed sense of the Flemish primitives is maintained, especially in the careful treatment of the canvases and the rigorous drawing, as well as the emphasis on space based on empirical knowledge and not on studies of perspective. The chromaticism is also reminiscent of the works of the Flemish masters of the previous century.