Saint Andrew

Saint Andrew from 1656 by Nicolaes Maes is an early religious work from the period when the artist was still working closely in Rembrandt's manner. The apostle Andrew, shown with his characteristic X-shaped cross of martyrdom, is rendered with the dramatic chiaroscuro Maes learned from his famous teacher. This devotional image, unusual in Maes's largely secular portrait output, demonstrates the religious side of Dutch Golden Age painting that coexisted with the dominant genre of portraiture and genre scenes. Maes trained with Rembrandt in Amsterdam in the early 1650s before establishing himself as an independent master. The strong Rembrandtesque chiaroscuro and rich, dark palette create a powerful devotional image that demonstrates how thoroughly Maes had absorbed the master's approach before developing his own more elegant mature style.

The figure demonstrates the strong Rembrandtesque influence of Maes's early career, with dramatic lighting and rich, dark palette creating a powerful devotional image.