St James the Elder
St James the Elder
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn 1606 – 1669
oil on canvas (92 × 75 cm) — 1661
Acts 12:2 - And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
This is one of the five portraits Rembrandt made of apostles in 1661. Like the other ones it shows the lined face of contemplative man, dressed in 17th century style clothes. This canvas is exceptional in the series as the apostle is shown in profile. In the other works they are shown frontally or in three quarter profile.
St James can be identified by his usual iconographic attribute: the walking stick leaning against the wall. Note his weathered hands. They emphasize the prayer where his thoughts dwell.
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