Who painted Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits?

Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits was painted by Philip Galle in 1574.

Where can I see Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits?

Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits?

Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits?

Museum-quality prints of Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits

Philip Galle , 1574

Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Philip Galle. It dates from 1574 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Philip Galle’s 1574 engraving, Saint Paul Driving Out Evil Spirits, presents a bustling biblical tableau in which the apostle confronts demonic possession. Executed in the Northern Renaissance print tradition, the work translates a painted composition into a black‑and‑white medium, allowing the scene to reach a broad European audience.

Subject & Meaning

The image captures Saint Paul amid a tumult of afflicted figures, his gestures commanding the expulsion of demons from a suffering individual. One of the two central figures kneels with a book, suggesting scriptural authority, while the other points decisively toward the crowd, emphasizing the apostle’s role as spiritual healer.

Technique & Style

Galle employs dense cross‑hatching to model light and shadow, a hallmark of mid‑16th‑century Flemish engraving. The sharp, interlaced lines convey texture in clothing, architecture, and the writhing bodies, creating a sense of movement and dramatic tension without the use of colour.

History & Provenance

Operating as a publisher, printer, and engraver in Antwerp, Galle specialized in reproducing works by prominent painters. This print exemplifies his practice of disseminating contemporary and earlier religious imagery across the Low Countries and beyond, contributing to the visual culture of the Reformation era.

Context

The work belongs to the broader Northern Renaissance trend of reproductive printmaking, where engravers served as intermediaries between original paintings and a wider public. Such prints facilitated the spread of theological narratives and artistic styles during a period of intense religious debate.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Philip Galle

Philip (or Philips) Galle (1537 – March 1612) was a Dutch publisher, best known for publishing old master prints, which he also produced as designer and engraver. He is especially known for his reproductive engravings of paintings.