Who painted Saint Anthony of Padua?

Saint Anthony of Padua was painted by Claudio Coello in 1651.

Where can I see Saint Anthony of Padua?

Saint Anthony of Padua is held by Museo del Prado.

What movement is Saint Anthony of Padua?

Saint Anthony of Padua is associated with Early Baroque Italian.

Artwork

Saint Anthony of Padua

Claudio Coello , 1651

Saint Anthony of Padua is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Claudio Coello. It dates from 1651 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts Anthony of Padua as its main subject, presented within the genre of religious art. The composition includes a book as a specific visual element associated with the saint. Created by Claudio Coello in 1651, the work identifies the titular figure through these iconographic details, focusing on the saint's representation in an oil-on-canvas format.

Technique & Style

The painting is executed in oil paint, a medium that allows for rich color and subtle blending, applied to a canvas support.

The painting is executed in oil paint, a medium that allows for rich color and subtle blending, applied to a canvas support. Claudio Coello completed the work in 1651, giving it dimensions of 159 centimeters high by 90 centimeters wide. The composition presents Saint Anthony of Padua holding a book, underscoring its religious character.

As a work of religious art from the mid‑seventeenth century, it exemplifies the devotional imagery typical of the period.

History & Provenance

The painting Saint Anthony of Padua was created by Claudio Coello in 1651. Executed in oil on canvas, the work depicts the titular saint holding a book and is classified as religious art. The piece was originally held by the Museo de la Trinidad before entering the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is currently located.

While the specific commission details and the full chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly dated to 1651. The dimensions of the canvas are recorded as 159 cm in height and 90 cm in width.

Claudio Coello's Saint Anthony of Padua, created in 1651, is currently held by the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The work was previously part of the collection of the Museo de la Trinidad before its transfer to its present location. As a religious painting executed in oil on canvas, it depicts the titular saint alongside a book.

The museum's inventory lists the piece with dimensions of 159 cm in height and 90 cm in width.

Overview

Claudio Coello’s 1651 oil painting portrays Saint Anthony of Padua in a contemplative pose. The saint, dressed in a brown habit, holds a book and engages with a small winged cherub. Set against a dark backdrop illuminated from above, the composition emphasizes a quiet, devotional atmosphere.

Context

Coello, the son of Portuguese sculptor Faustino Coello, was among the last prominent Spanish painters of the 1600s. His oeuvre includes numerous commissions for Madrid’s churches and public edifices, with his most celebrated piece located in the sacristy of El Escorial. This painting exemplifies the cross‑influence of Italian early Baroque aesthetics within Spanish religious art.