The Conversion of Saint Paul

Art Historical Context

Behold *The Conversion of Saint Paul a striking 1567 engraving by Italian printmaker Mario Cartaro, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints department This work captures the dramatic moment from the Acts of the Apostles, Saul—later Saint Paul—is struck blind by a divine light on the road to Damascus, by his terrified companions and horses rearing in chaos. Measuring about 9 by 12 inches, its trimmed sheet preserves the intensity of Cartaro's intricate line work, a hallmark of 16th-century Italian engraving. Created during the height of the Counter-Reformation, the print reflects the era's fervor for vivid religious imagery to inspire faith among the faithful. Engravings like this were revolutionary: carved into copper plates with fine burins, they allowed for precise, reproducible details and tonal effects through cross-hatching, making high-art subjects accessible beyond elite patrons. Cartaro, active in Rome, specialized in such reproductive prints, bridging painting and popular devotion. Acquired through The Elisha Whittelsey Collection in 1959, this piece invites us to ponder Paul's transformative encounter—a pivotal story of redemption that has shaped Christian theology for centuries. Gaze closely at the dynamic composition, and feel the thunderous divine intervention leap from the page.