Giacomo Panizzati, 'The Conversion of Saul', about 1535-40

The conversion of the Pharisee Saul is described in the Acts of the Apostles (9: 1–9). The religious conservative Saul was sent to Damascus in Syria by the High Priest of the Temple in Jerusalem to persecute disciples of Christ. As he was approaching Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him, making him fall to the earth. ‘Saul, Saul,’ a voice called, ‘why do you persecute me?’

When Saul asked who was speaking the voice replied that it was Christ. He told Saul to get up and enter the city and that he would tell him what to do. Saul’s companions heard nothing, but realising he had been blinded they led him into Damascus. There he recovered his sight and, as the Apostle Paul, he joined the Christians whom he had set out to persecute.

Saul is the figure in blue wearing gilded metal armour – he has fallen from his horse at the sight of Christ in the clouds. The size of the entourage accompanying Saul is somewhat unusual, and his men and their horses also seem to be thrown into confusion by the sudden appearance of Christ. In the distance we see the next part of the story as the stupefied Saul and his horse are led towards Damascus by his men.

The shields, armour and horse trappings are very highly decorated in antique style with medieval heraldic motifs. Saul’s breastplate is ornamented with a relief of a nude woman flanked by griffins, and the handle of his sword is in the form of a wolf’s head. The red and yellow leather armour worn by soldiers in the right foreground is inspired by the form of military costumes in antique Roman sculpture.

The mask shoulder ornament on the yellow leather armour reveals a knowledge of the Medusa heads on ancient gems. Other details suggest that the artist knew of the celebrated contemporary gem engravers Valerio Belli (about 1468–1546) and Giovanni Bernardi (1494–1553). The raised shield of the soldier behind Saul is decorated with a relief designed by Valerio Belli and his name is engraved below it – no other painting of this date includes another contemporary artist’s work and signature. Alfonso I d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, had a particular enthusiasm for engraved gems, and this painting may have been commissioned by or intended for him.

The painting is described in the 1592 inventory of Lucrezia d’Este, Duchess of Urbino, but was then believed to be by Mazzolino. However, it is similar to the Massacre of the Innocents of about 1535 attributed to Giacomo Panizzati (Uffizi, Florence) and to Christ driving the Merchants from the Temple (Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome), also attributed to him.

Panizzati must have known of Garofalo’s Conversion of Saul (Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven), as the pose of his sprawling soldier in the left foreground is based on the pose of Garofalo’s Saul. He also shows an awareness of some of the bearded heads of the grotesque tumbling giants in Giulio Romano’s frescoes in the Palazzo Te in Mantua, completed in 1535, although Panizzati has not succeeded in replicating Giulio Romano’s heroic style. The significant amount of shell gold applied with great skill and delicacy – for example on the helmets, shields and armour – is a remarkable feature of this picture.