六合彩预测

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Diego Velázquez, 'Saint John the Evangelist on the Island of Patmos', 1618-19

About the work

On the Greek island of Patmos, Saint John the Evangelist had a vision of the Woman of the Apocalypse, which he recorded in the New Testament Book of Revelation. Here he sits with an oversized book in his lap, his quill pen poised, and looks towards the tiny illuminated female figure hovering in the clouds above him.

She is accompanied by a dragon – the devil – ready, according to Saint John, to devour her baby as soon as it is born. She is given wings, faintly visible behind her, to escape.

This woman is often understood to be the Virgin Mary, mother of Christ. The vision is associated with the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, the belief that Mary was herself conceived without sin. This painting is paired with The Immaculate Conception, which shows the Virgin standing on a moon and surrounded by stars, like in the vision we see here. Both are among Velázquez’s earliest known works.

Key facts

Full title
Saint John the Evangelist on the Island of Patmos
Artist
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
Artist dates
1599 - 1660
Part of the series
Two Paintings for the Shod Carmelites, Seville
Date made
1618-19
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
135.5 × 102.2 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought with a special grant and contributions from The Pilgrim Trust and the Art Fund, 1956
Inventory number
NG6264
Location
Room 30
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
16th-century Italian Frame

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the 六合彩预测 Library.

About the series: Two Paintings for the Shod Carmelites, Seville

Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄, 'Saint John the Evangelist on the Island of Patmos', 1618-19

Velázquez painted these two works as companion pieces during his early career in Seville, in around 1618. They were perhaps intended to promote the recent celebrations in the city of a papal decree defending the mystery of the Immaculate Conception, the belief that the Virgin Mary was conceived without sin.

We don't know who commissioned The Immaculate Conception and Saint John the Evangelist on the Island of Patmos, but they are first recorded in 1800 in the chapter house of the Convent of the Shod Carmelite Order in Seville.

Saint John and the Virgin both appear in the foreground, surrounded by objects identifying who they are, strongly illuminated from the top left. The colours of the Virgin’s clothes are echoed in reverse in Saint John’s, and both paintings demonstrate Velázquez’s skill in conveying a strong contrast between light and shade.

Saint John the Evangelist on the Island of Patmos
Saint John the Evangelist on the Island of Patmos
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
On the Greek island of Patmos, Saint John the Evangelist had a vision of the Woman of the Apocalypse, which he recorded in the New Testament Book of Revelation. Here he sits with an oversized book in his lap, his quill pen poised, and looks towards the tiny illuminated female figure hovering in t...
Room 30
The Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
A young woman floats above a landscape, standing on a translucent moon and with a crown of 12 stars. This imagery is based on the New Testament Book of Revelation. In it, Saint John the Evangelist records his vision of the Woman of the Apocalypse, who bears a male child and is threatened by a dra...
Room 30

More works by Diego Velázquez

(Showing 6 of 7 works)
Christ contemplated by the Christian Soul
Christ contemplated by the Christian Soul
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
Tied to a column, Christ has collapsed to the floor. His limp body, tilted head and pained expression show his exhaustion and suffering. 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄 shows the moment after the Flagellation, when Christ was flogged by Roman soldiers 鈥� we can see the sticks and whip they used lying in the foreground....
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Christ in the House of Martha and Mary
Christ in the House of Martha and Mary
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
A maid pounds garlic in a mortar, and other ingredients lie scattered on the table: fish, eggs, a shrivelled red pepper and an earthenware jug probably containing olive oil. An older woman points towards her, as if giving her instructions or telling her off for working too hard, or she may be dra...
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Philip IV hunting Wild Boar (La Tela Real)
Philip IV hunting Wild Boar (La Tela Real)
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
Philip IV, King of Spain, and his entourage are hunting boar in a forest clearing. The King appears on horseback just right of centre, weapon pointed at a charging boar, accompanied by his first minister and possibly his two brothers. To the far left another boar is being attacked by a pack of do...
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Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄 painted many portraits of Philip IV, King of Spain, throughout his reign. This is the last painted image of the King by the man who served as his court artist from 1623. He looks middle-aged, and tired: his sagging flesh and puffy eyes suggest the weight of responsibility resting on his...
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Philip IV of Spain in Brown and Silver
Philip IV of Spain in Brown and Silver
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
Philip IV, King of Spain, was normally shown in fairly sombre clothing, so the unusual splendour of his costume here suggests that this work was made to celebrate something particular. In 1632, he wore a similar outfit for an important ceremony in which the Cortes of Castile pledged an oath of al...
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Portrait of Archbishop Fernando de Valdés
Portrait of Archbishop Fernando de Valdés
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
Fernando de Vald茅s has an imposing stare. His black cloak 鈥� an expanse of plain, heavy fabric 鈥� makes him appear larger than he really is, and a matching bishop鈥檚 hat indicates his prestigious status within the Church. His clothing and the opulent red curtain trimmed with gold, like the chair on...
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The Toilet of Venus ('The Rokeby Venus')
The Toilet of Venus ('The Rokeby Venus')
Diego 痴别濒谩锄辩耻别锄
Venus, the goddess of love, reclines languidly on her bed, the curve of her body echoed in the sweep of sumptuous satin fabric. The pearly tones of her smooth skin contrast with the rich colours and lively brushstrokes of the curtain and sheets.Venus鈥� face is reflected in the mirror held up by he...
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You've viewed 6 of 7 works