St. John the Evangelist
1610-12
Rubens captures Saint John the Evangelist in a moment of intense, almost dreamy contemplation, staring down a golden chalice that legend says was filled with poison. According to the story, the high priest of Diana challenged John to drink the venom, but the saint simply blessed the cup and survived unharmed—explaining his calm, delicate hand gesture. Painted around 1610, this piece shows a young Rubens completely soaking up the dramatic, moody lighting of the Italian Baroque style (shoutout to Caravaggio!) just before returning home to become a Flemish superstar.
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