Saint John the Evangelist on Patmos
Dublin Core
Title
Saint John the Evangelist on Patmos
Description
This painting was commissioned to Titian in 1544 for the new albergo (board room). This one of the wealthiest religious confraternities in Venice, stated in the National Gallery of Art article. This painting was one of four original scuole grandi. Originally this painting was installed to be the centerpiece of a painted ceiling that was surrounded by various panels. These paintings represented cherubs, satyrs, female heads, and symbols of the four evangelists. This painting shows Saint John the Evangelist secluded on the Greek island Patmos. He is experiencing his apocalyptic vision of Christ’s second coming. The low viewpoint adds the dramatic element of the sky and the foreshortened heroic figure of John. John has bent knees with his hands up to the sky. There are at least seven figures up in the sky looking down on John. In the sky there are several children accompanied by an older man. The older man is waving down to John, whom is on the island of Patmos. The children appear to have wings giving off a sense that they are baby angels flying in the sky. John’s body language gives off a sense as if to someone is talking down upon him. John depicts in this scene with his “attributes of a gospel and an eagle, was the Scuola’s patron saint”. Overall this painting is very consistent with the highness of the location of the painting and wouldn’t look right if it was located on a wall. Titian did an amazing job painting out this scene.
Creator
Titian
Source
“Saint John the Evangelist on Patmos.” Art Object Page. Accessed September 23, 2020. https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.43725.html.
“National Gallery of Art.” Titian and the Late Renaissance in Venice. Accessed September 23, 2020. https://www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/titian-and-the-late-renaissance-in-venice.html.
“National Gallery of Art.” Accessed September 23, 2020. https://www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/titian-and-the-late-renaissance-in-venice.html.
“National Gallery of Art.” Titian and the Late Renaissance in Venice. Accessed September 23, 2020. https://www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/titian-and-the-late-renaissance-in-venice.html.
“National Gallery of Art.” Accessed September 23, 2020. https://www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/titian-and-the-late-renaissance-in-venice.html.
Publisher
“National Gallery of Art.” Accessed September 23, 2020. https://www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/titian-and-the-late-renaissance-in-venice.html.
Date
1576
Contributor
Ryan Smith
Format
237.6 x 263 cm oil on canvas
Type
Painting
Coverage
Washington D.C, Virginia, USA
Citation
Titian, “Saint John the Evangelist on Patmos,” ARTHIST 89S - Visual Culture of Venice - Fall 2020, accessed October 22, 2026, https://venice.dahvc.org/fall-2020/items/show/59.