Conversion of Saint Paul
Medium
Pen and brown ink, with brush and brown and gray wash, over traces of black chalk, on cream laid paper
Dimensions
31.5 × 27.5 cm (12 7/16 × 10 7/8 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81918
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Francesco Solimena’s *Conversion of Saint Paul* captures one of the most dramatic moments in Christian scripture: the moment when Saul, struck by divine light on the road to Damascus, falls from his horse and is transformed into the Apostle Paul. As a leading figure of the late Baroque period in Naples, Solimena specialized in dynamic religious compositions that combined theatrical movement with intense emotional expression, helping to shape the visual language of Counter-Reformation art. Executed in pen and brown ink with brush-applied washes over black chalk, the drawing reveals the artist’s working process. The fluid lines and layered brown and gray tones create a strong sense of volume and light, allowing Solimena to explore the violent motion of figures and animals while suggesting the blinding radiance from above. Such preparatory studies were essential tools for Baroque painters, enabling them to refine complex multi-figure scenes before transferring them to canvas or fresco. Measuring just over 12 by 10 inches, this intimate sheet offers viewers a rare glimpse into the creative energy behind Solimena’s grand altarpieces. Its presence in the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection of prints and drawings highlights the enduring appeal of these spirited studies, which continue to convey both spiritual drama and artistic virtuosity.
About the Artist
Francesco Solimena · 1657–1747
Comment on works: History; Religious