Artwork
St. Andrew
St. Andrew 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
Subject & Meaning
The composition includes a table and fish as food, elements that contribute to the religious narrative surrounding the saint.
The painting depicts Andrew the Apostle, an elderly man identified as the main subject of the work. Iconographically, the figure is associated with Saint Andrew's true Cross, a key attribute of his martyrdom. The composition includes a table and fish as food, elements that contribute to the religious narrative surrounding the saint. These visual components collectively represent the identity and story of the apostle within a religious art context.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring roughly 127 cm in height and 100 cm in width. It was created by Jusepe de Ribera in 1601 and belongs to the religious genre, portraying the apostle Andrew. The composition includes a table, a fish, and a representation of Saint Andrew’s true Cross, all rendered in a manner that emphasizes the figure’s aged features and devotional focus. The canvas support and oil medium contribute to a richly textured surface.
History & Provenance
Jusepe de Ribera painted St. Andrew in 1601 using oil on canvas; the work measures 127 cm in height and 100 cm in width and portrays the apostle alongside his traditional attributes of a cross, table, fish and an aged figure. The painting belongs to the Museo del Prado and is housed in the House museum of Christopher Columbus, which is its current location and institutional owner. The date of execution is recorded as 1601, matching the documented inception of the work.
Overview
Jusepe de Ribera, a prominent Spanish Baroque artist working in Naples, created the oil painting St. Andrew in 1601. This early Italian Baroque work portrays the apostle Andrew, a key figure in Christian tradition. The painting is currently housed in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it represents a significant example of Ribera's early output.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jusepe de Ribera (Valencian:; baptised 17 February 1591 – 3 November 1652) was a Spanish painter and printmaker.
