Paul and Barnabas at Lystra
The Met
Artist: Jacob Pynas(Dutch, Amsterdam 1592/93–after 1650 Amsterdam (?))
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on wood
Dimensions: 19 x 28 7/8 in. (48.3 x 73.3 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Emile E. Wolf, 1971
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Crowded scene of figures around a smoking altar, with a severed head and a distant building
Detailed Description
A wide, horizontal painting depicts a crowded scene with numerous figures in an outdoor setting, framed by architectural elements on the left and right. In the foreground, a group of people gathers around a central stone altar. On the altar, a severed head and a small bird are visible. Below the altar, an axe lies next to a dead rooster. To the left of the altar, a man in a red and blue tunic kneels, looking upwards, while a woman in a white and blue garment kneels further left, hands clasped. To the far left, a man in a prominent red cloak stands with his back to the viewer, facing right. Behind the altar, several tall, torch-like structures emit dark smoke that rises into the sky. To the right of the altar, a man in a green tunic stands on a stone step, raising his right arm and gesturing towards the altar. Above him, on a higher step, an older man with a long white beard and a blue cloak appears to be tearing at his garment. To the far right, a man with long dark hair kneels, hands clasped in front of him, looking upwards. In the midground, a large crowd of people is visible behind the central figures. The background features a green, hilly landscape with a large, ruined stone building or castle perched on a distant peak. The sky is a mix of light and dark, with smoke plumes visible. The color palette includes reds, blues, greens, and earthy browns, with strong contrasts between light and shadow.
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