Flemish school; second half of the 17th century.

Flemish school; second half of the 17th century. "Saint Augustine of Hippo". Oil on copper. Measurements: 28,5 x 21 cm. The painter offers us the figure of a holy bishop seated in front of his lectern or desk, dedicated to his intellectual work. The painter has represented the figure facing the spectator, although the character appears abstracted, due to the fact that he turns his face towards the lectern where there is an open book, without looking at or establishing any type of relationship with the spectator. He wears a large rain cloak, although it should be noted that, despite being common in depictions of this saint, in this case he does not wear the mitre on his head, but rather it is on the table, a feature that allows us to identify him as a bishop, although the mitre is covered by several books. Both his status as a bishop and his writing practice suggest that he is one of the fathers of the Church, perhaps Saint Augustine of Hippo. The figure of the saint is framed in an interior full of details, including a large red curtain and the presence of the flaming heart that the saint holds in his left hand. The artist has taken great care to capture the psychological and physiognomic features of the figure, working the face with great skill. He is also interested in the depiction of the liturgical vestments, and has drawn in remarkable detail the gold brocade and velvet fabric, with a classic thistle design, of the pluvial cloak. St. Augustine of Hippo (Tagaste, 254, Hippo Reggius, 430) was a doctor of the Catholic Church, known, among other things, for his writings, and for a legend: it is said that the saint was walking along the seashore, thinking about the Trinity; he came across a beautiful child playing. When the saint asks the little boy, he replies that he was taking the water out of the sea to put it into the hole, to which Augustine replies that it is impossible. The child replies that it is more difficult for him to understand the Mystery of the Holy Trinity, revealing himself with this phrase as Jesus.