Conversion of Saint Paul

The Conversion of Saint Paul is a powerful drawing executed sometime between 1700 and 1799, rendered in the style of the High Renaissance master After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael Italian, 1483-1520. This piece is a study or interpretation of one of the most dramatic subjects in Christian iconography: the blinding vision of Saul (later Paul) on the road to Damascus. Though created nearly two centuries after the master's death, this drawing reflects the enduring impact of Sanzio’s highly influential compositions on later artists in Italy and across Europe, demonstrating how Renaissance prototypes remained central to academic training.

The work is classified as a drawing, executed primarily in red chalk on ivory laid paper, which has subsequently been laid down on wood pulp board for preservation. Red chalk was highly favored by draughtsmen in the eighteenth century for its ability to convey volume, shadow, and movement with economy and warmth. The copyist skillfully captures the central action-the figure of Paul collapsing beneath the radiant, divine light-while surrounding figures react to the sudden intervention. Raphael’s original treatments of this narrative were widely circulated, making the compositions popular subjects for copyists and students who wished to hone their skills in dramatic figure studies.

As an important example of art historical transmission, this piece highlights the pedagogical practice of copying masterpieces from earlier centuries. Today, access to high-quality images and prints of works like this, which often enter the public domain due to age, allows scholars worldwide to study the evolution of composition and technique. This masterful reinterpretation of a classic motif is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.