Saint Paul

Saint Paul is considered the first theologian in the history of Christianity, one of the most influential personalities in church history. The portrait shows him with a full head of grey hair and thick beard. He wears a rust-coloured robe; his head and torso are depicted almost filling the picture against a dark background. Paul’s gaze is directed towards heaven. The way his head is turned and lifted leaves the neck exposed, lending the portrait subject an impression of vulnerability. We also recognise Paul from the sword in his hand, which has been found on paintings since the 13th century as an attribute for his martyrdom. The artist Abraham van Diepenbeeck initially worked in Antwerp as a glass painter. After a journey to Italy, he began to paint in oils and worked as an illustrator of books. He is frequently assigned to the circle around Rubens. This painting came to the Siegerlandmuseum as a gift to the Förderverein des Siegerlandmuseums in 2008, having previously been in family ownership for 300 years. The first proven owner within the family was Councillor of Commerce C. Isaak Salingre (1717–1801), who was a successful merchant in Stettin.