Artwork
Saint in Red Cloak
Saint in Red Cloak is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The saint as a subject anchors the image within a devotional tradition, presenting the holy figure as an object of veneration and contemplation.
Saint in Red Cloak is a religious painting classified within the genre of religious art. The work takes its title from the figure of a saint enveloped in a red cloak, a garment that in Christian iconography traditionally signifies martyrdom, faith, or spiritual passion. The saint as a subject anchors the image within a devotional tradition, presenting the holy figure as an object of veneration and contemplation.
Rendered in a narrow vertical format, the composition isolates the standing saint, emphasizing the symbolic weight of the red mantle as the dominant visual and thematic element. The painting translates the conventional iconography of the robed saint into a compact devotional image, where the cloak functions both as identification of holy status and as a marker of the figure's spiritual significance.
History & Provenance
Saint in Red Cloak is a painting dated 1900, created by an unknown artist. The work measures 33.0 by 11.4 cm and falls within the religious genre. It is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is identified by the accession number 1957.506.2.
The painting's provenance is limited to its acquisition by the museum, with no record of prior owners or commissions in the documented sources, and no specific exhibition history or loan records are available.
Context
Saint in Red Cloak is a 1900 religious painting measuring 33.0 × 11.4 cm, held in the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its classification as a religious work and its presence in a major museum collection have made it a reference point for studies of early twentieth‑century devotional art. Scholars cite the piece when examining the stylistic simplification characteristic of modernist religious imagery, noting that the unknown artist’s approach reflects broader trends in sacred subject treatment during the period.
Overview
This painting, titled "Saint in Red Cloak," features a solitary male figure presented frontally. The individual is distinguished by a halo, indicating his holy status, and is dressed in a vivid red cloak layered over a yellow robe. He holds a book in his left hand while his right hand is raised in a gesture.
The saint's solemn expression and direct gaze engage the viewer, set against a shimmering gold background with an arched detail behind his head. The artwork is presented in an ornate gold frame with a twisted rope design.
Technique & Style
The artist utilizes a bold color scheme, highlighting the saint's red cloak against a yellow undergarment. The flat gold background, featuring an arched shape, serves to visually elevate the figure and imbue the scene with a sense of the sacred and eternal, a characteristic often seen in early devotional art. This stylistic choice, along with the figure's formal presentation, emphasizes the spiritual rather than the naturalistic. The painting's decorative gold frame, with its distinctive twisted rope motif, further enhances its reverent aesthetic.
Artist & collection
![Saint James Major [right panel], by Grifo di Tancredi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/grifo-di-tancredi--saint-james-major-right-panel--dc190378c0cddc8f-w320.webp)
