Saint Augustine Subdues Heresy with Lightning Bolts from His Pen
1780
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1780
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This scene looks like a chaotic mix of people and angels. In the center, a robed figure—maybe a saint—holds a book while lightning bolts shoot from his pen. Below him, a woman in blue reaches toward him, surrounded by struggling figures and winged babies. The background has fancy columns and a gold ceiling, but the whole thing feels stormy and dramatic. The artist used watercolor and ink to make it look like a sketch that’s also a painting. The way the colors blend gives it a soft but busy feel, almost like a story unfolding in layers. Next, check out technique: watercolor, glazing to see how artists build depth with thin, see-through layers.
