Diego Velázquez. Saint Paul circa 1619

This is a painting of youth done by Diego Velázquez, shortly before entering into the service of the Spanish monarch Felipe IV. This work is considered fundamental for the study of the influence of pictorial realism of Caravaggio in Spain.

The saint, seated, is wearing a tunic and is covered with a thick blanket.  His hair is dark, with a grey beard, and his face has deep wrinkles, while the halo around his head declares his sainthood.  He shows a book which indicates his condition as apostle, and could also be that of intellectual or philosopher, even though, above on the left, there appears an inscription that clearly identifies him as: «S. PAVLVS». 

Saint Paul [2], Diego Velázquez, circa 1619