Saint Paschal Baylon's Vision of the Eucharist
Historical Context
Saint Paschal Baylon's Vision of the Eucharist, painted in 1767 and now at the Courtauld Gallery, was the modello for one of Tiepolo's Aranjuez altarpieces — the series of seven works he painted for the church of San Pascual at the royal monastery near Madrid. Paschal Baylon, a sixteenth-century Franciscan lay brother who was famous for his intense devotion to the Eucharist, was canonized in 1690 and became the patron saint of Eucharistic congresses. The subject — the saint receiving a vision of the Host — was particularly appropriate for a Franciscan church, connecting the humble brother's mystical experiences to the doctrinal centrality of the Real Presence. The Courtauld Gallery's collection of Tiepolo modelli and finished works includes several paintings from this final Spanish series, making it uniquely important for studying his last period.
Technical Analysis
The visionary composition is rendered with Tiepolo's characteristic radiant palette and dynamic composition.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the Franciscan saint experiencing a vision of the Eucharist — Tiepolo painting for Spanish patrons in this late 1767 Courtauld Gallery work.
- ◆Look at the characteristic radiant palette and dynamic composition creating a convincing image of mystical experience.
- ◆Observe the paradoxical airiness of Tiepolo's religious subjects — sacred scenes achieving weightless luminosity.
