On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P02254
- Author
- Lorraine, Claude (French)
- Title
- Landscape with the Embarkment of Saint Paula Romana in Ostia
- Chronology
- 1639-1640
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 211 cm x 145 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- Yes
- Entrance
- COLECCIONREAL
- Procedence
- Royal Collection
This work by Lorraine is a
masterpiece in the history of
landscape painting. It shows Saint
Paula embarking for Palestine and
saying farewell to her
children.
Saint Paula lived in Rome in the
fourth century A.D. After
distributing her wealth among the
poor, she moved to Bethlehem to
live as a hermit under the guidance
of Saint Jerome, whom she cared for
and aided in his studies. Together,
they founded numerous
monasteries.
The extraordinarily classical
composition combines architectural
mass with vegetation, creating a
great sense of depth thanks to the
shining light coming from the
horizon.
A stone tablet on the right reads:
IMBARGO STA PAVLA ROMANA PER TERRA
SANTA, and on an ashlar, PORTUS
OSTIENSIS A (AVGVSTI) ET TRA
(IANI).
This work was painted for the Buen
Retiro Palace of King Felipe IV
(1605-1665) and is the companion of
The Archangel Rapahel and Tobias
(P2255), The Burial of Saint
Seraphia (P2252) and Landscape with
Moses saved from the waters of the
Nile (P2253), which are also in the
Prado Museum Collection.
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