Artwork
Saint Paul
Saint Paul is a tempera painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Lippo Memmi. It dates from 1330 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
According to the documented iconography, Paul is identified by the sword he holds, a traditional attribute that signifies the Word of God and his martyrdom.
The work titled Saint Paul, executed by Lippo Memmi around 1330 in tempera on panel, portrays the Apostle Paul as its central figure. According to the documented iconography, Paul is identified by the sword he holds, a traditional attribute that signifies the Word of God and his martyrdom. This attribute, together with his apostolic designation, conveys the theological emphasis on evangelical mission and sacrificial witness within the religious context of the period.
The painting’s composition and material execution reflect the devotional practices of 14th‑century Italian art, reinforcing the symbolic narrative of Paul’s role as a conduit for divine truth.
Technique & Style
Saint Paul is executed in tempera on panel, a technique characteristic of early fourteenth-century Italian devotional painting. The support is a wooden panel measuring 89.2 cm in height by 41.9 cm in width, giving the work a tall, narrow format suited to its function as an individual figure panel. Lippo Memmi's handling reflects the Sienese tradition of the period, with tempera paint applied in careful layers to model form and detail.
The slender proportions of the panel and the refined tempera technique are consistent with Memmi's documented practice around 1330. The panel is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where its preservation allows the original tempera surface and the iconographic attributes, including the sword identifying Paul the Apostle, to remain clearly legible.
History & Provenance
Saint Paul by Lippo Memmi is a tempera panel painting dated to 1330. According to the catalogue record, the work was created in that year and depicts Saint Paul the Apostle, who is shown with a sword. The painting is executed in tempera on panel and is classified as a religious work.
It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view. The Wikidata entry identifies the painting's inception as 1330 and confirms its current location within the Metropolitan Museum of Art's holdings.
Overview
Lippo Memmi, a Sienese artist active in the early fourteenth century, created this tempera painting of Saint Paul around 1330. The work exemplifies the religious art prevalent during its era, reflecting the stylistic traditions of Italian painting influenced by Byzantine art. It is currently housed in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a significant example of early Renaissance devotional imagery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lippo Memmi (c. 1291 – 1356) was an Italian painter from Siena. He was the foremost follower of Simone Martini, who was his brother-in-law. Together with Martini, in 1333 he painted what is regarded as one of the…
