Saint John on Patmos

Unknown

ca. 1450–1500 · Limestone, originally polychromed. · Medieval Art

Writing on a long scroll, the youthful saint records divinely inspired revelations. The composition conforms to a well-known type of the evangelist-author portrait, which shows the evangelists writing their Gospels. Due to his youthfulness, he probably represents Saint John, who, in addition to his own Gospel, was believed to have written the Apocalypse (Book of Revelation) while living in exile on the Greek Island of Patmos. This episode is frequently portrayed in late medieval manuscripts.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1450–1500

Medium

Limestone, originally polychromed.

Culture

French

Department

Medieval Art

Credit line

Mr. and Mrs. Isaac D. Fletcher Collection, Bequest of Isaac D. Fletcher, 1917