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The Incredulity of Saint Thomas (Caravaggio)
Encyclopedia
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas is a painting of the subject of the same name by the Italian
Baroque
master Caravaggio
, c. 1601-1602. It is housed in the Sanssouci
of Potsdam
, Germany
.
This picture is probably related to Saint Matthew and the Angel and the The Sacrifice of Isaac
, all having a model in common. The Incredulity of Saint Thomas belonged to Vincenzo Giustiniani before entering the Prussian royal collection, surviving the Second World War intact. This is the most copied painting of Caravaggio, with 22 copies from the 17th century known.
According to St John's Gospel
, Thomas
missed one of Jesus's appearances to the Apostles after His resurrection
, and said "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." A week later Jesus appeared and told Thomas to touch Him and stop doubting. Then Jesus said, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
The absence of a halo emphasizes the corporeality of the risen Christ. Thomas's face shows surprise as Jesus holds his hand and guides it into the wound.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
master Caravaggio
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque...
, c. 1601-1602. It is housed in the Sanssouci
Sanssouci
Sanssouci is the name of the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, in Potsdam, near Berlin. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it too is...
of Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
This picture is probably related to Saint Matthew and the Angel and the The Sacrifice of Isaac
Sacrifice of Isaac (Caravaggio)
The Sacrifice of Isaac is the title of two paintings by the Italian master Caravaggio .- Princeton version :The Sacrifice of Isaac in the Piasecka-Johnson Collection in Princeton, New Jersey, is a disputed work that was painted circa 1603...
, all having a model in common. The Incredulity of Saint Thomas belonged to Vincenzo Giustiniani before entering the Prussian royal collection, surviving the Second World War intact. This is the most copied painting of Caravaggio, with 22 copies from the 17th century known.
According to St John's Gospel
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
, Thomas
Thomas the Apostle
Thomas the Apostle, also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is best known for questioning Jesus' resurrection when first told of it, then proclaiming "My Lord and my God" on seeing Jesus in . He was perhaps the only Apostle who went outside the Roman...
missed one of Jesus's appearances to the Apostles after His resurrection
Resurrection appearances of Jesus
The major Resurrection appearances of Jesus in the Canonical gospels are reported to have occurred after his death, burial and resurrection, but prior to his Ascension. Among these primary sources, most scholars believe First Corinthians was written first, authored by Paul of Tarsus along with...
, and said "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." A week later Jesus appeared and told Thomas to touch Him and stop doubting. Then Jesus said, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
The absence of a halo emphasizes the corporeality of the risen Christ. Thomas's face shows surprise as Jesus holds his hand and guides it into the wound.