Artwork
San Agustín en oración
San Agustín en oración is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Jusepe de Ribera. It dates from 1601 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Technique & Style
San Agustín en oración is an oil painting executed by Jusepe de Ribera in 1601. The work utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support, measuring 203 cm in height and 150 cm in width. Visually, the composition depicts the saint in prayer alongside specific attributes, including a book and a pen. The piece is currently held within the collection of the Museo del Prado.
History & Provenance
Created in 1601, San Agustín en oración is an oil painting on canvas by the Spanish artist Jusepe de Ribera. The work measures 203 cm in height and 150 cm in width. It currently forms part of the collection held by the Museo del Prado, where it is preserved and displayed.
Overview
Jusepe de Ribera painted San Agustín en oración in 1601, employing oil on canvas. The composition presents a solitary figure of Saint Augustine immersed in prayer, surrounded by a sparse interior illuminated by a narrow window. The work is part of the early Baroque period and is currently housed in the Museo del Prado.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, clothed in dark robes, kneels on a tiled floor with his head lifted, embodying a moment of devout contemplation. He holds a book and a quill, symbols of his theological scholarship, while his hands suggest both intellectual engagement and spiritual surrender.
Context
Ribera, a Spanish painter who spent most of his career in Italy, is often mentioned alongside Velázquez, Zurbarán, and Murillo as a leading figure of Spanish Baroque art. San Agustín en oración exemplifies his synthesis of Italian dramatic lighting with the spiritual gravitas characteristic of his Spanish contemporaries.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jusepe de Ribera (Valencian:; baptised 17 February 1591 – 3 November 1652) was a Spanish painter and printmaker.
