Landscape with St Paula of Rome Embarking at Ostia facts for kids

Landscape with Saint Paula of Rome Embarking at Ostia or The Embarkation of Saint Paula is a famous oil painting by the French artist Claude Lorrain. He painted it between 1639 and 1640. This beautiful artwork was created for Philip IV of Spain, who wanted a collection of landscape paintings for his royal palace, the Palacio del Buen Retiro. Today, you can see this painting at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain.

About the Painting

This painting is part of a larger series of artworks that Claude Lorrain created for the Spanish king. The king wanted paintings that showed beautiful landscapes, often with stories from the Bible or about saints.

What Does It Show?

The painting shows Paula of Rome, a Christian saint, getting ready to leave the ancient Roman port city of Ostia. She is embarking on a ship, which means she is getting on board to start a journey. The scene is set in a grand landscape with a harbor, ships, and classical buildings.

Who Was Saint Paula?

Saint Paula of Rome was a wealthy Roman noblewoman who lived in the 4th century. After her husband died, she decided to dedicate her life to God. She left Rome and traveled to the Holy Land, where she helped establish monasteries and worked with Saint Jerome to translate the Bible into Latin. This painting captures the moment she begins her journey from Ostia.

Why Was It Painted?

King Philip IV of Spain wanted to decorate his new palace, the Palacio del Buen Retiro, with many impressive artworks. He asked several famous artists, including Claude Lorrain, to create large landscape paintings. The king's chief minister, the Count-Duke of Olivares, specifically asked for paintings that included saints or biblical figures. This is why Claude Lorrain included Saint Paula in this artwork.

Part of a Series

The painting of Saint Paula embarking at Ostia was one of eight large landscape paintings Claude Lorrain made for the king.

• Four of these paintings were wider than they were tall (horizontal format), painted between 1635 and 1638.
• The other four, including The Embarkation of Saint Paula, were taller than they were wide (vertical format), painted between 1639 and 1641. Other paintings in this vertical series include Landscape with Tobias and Raphael, Landscape with the Finding of Moses, and Landscape with the Burial of St Serapia.

See also

In Spanish: Paisaje con el embarque en Ostia de Santa Paula Romana para niños

Images for kids

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  Landscape with Saint Paula of Rome Embarking at Ostia