Paulus in de synagoge

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

"Paulus in de Syne" is a captivating etching by Pietro Santeoli, an Italian engraver active in 17th-century Rome during the Baroque period (ca. 1645–1700). The title, Dutch for "Paul in theagogue," depicts a dramatic biblical scene from the Acts of the Apostles, where the Apostle Paul preaches or debates in a Jewish synagogue—a motif rich in themes of faith, conversion, and early Christian evangelism. Bartoli, known for his precise reproductions of classical antiquities and religious subjects, captures the intensity of the moment in this narrow, panoramic format (100 × 262 mm), evoking the elo...

About the Artist

Pietro Sante Bartoli · 1615–1700

Pietro Santi Bartoli, born in Perugia in 1635, emerged as a pivotal figure in the Roman antiquarian revival of the late seventeenth century. Relocating to Rome as a youth, he initially pursued painting, studying under the French artist Jean Lemaire—known as "Le Petit Lemaire"—and later under the esteemed Nicolas Poussin, whose classical rigor profoundly shaped his early approach. Though traces of ...