Saint John the Evangelist

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting! It's called Saint John the Evangelist, and it's super old – from way back in 1633! Can anyone guess how old that is? (Pause for answers). Wow, that's a long, long time ago! nn This painting is by an artist named Francisco de Zurbarán. He was from Spain, and he was amazing at painting! Look at how tall this painting is! It's almost as tall as some of you! And it shows a very important person: Saint John. He was a follower of Jesus. What do you think Saint John is doing in the painting? (Pause for answers). nn

See how dark the background is? It's almost like night-time, right? But look at Saint John's face and hands. They're bright and shining! This is called chiaroscuro – it's a fancy word for the way the artist uses light and dark to make the painting more interesting. It makes Saint John really stand out, doesn't it? What do you think the artist wanted us to notice most? (Pause for answers) nn

Saint John is wearing a beautiful red robe. See how the fabric looks all wrinkly and soft? Zurbarán was really good at painting clothes! He even painted the folds in the fabric so you can almost feel it. And look at his hands! One hand is raised up, like he's praying. The other hand holds a cup. This cup is a special symbol – it represents something very important in his religion. What do you think it might mean? (Pause for answers) nn

This painting isn't just pretty to look at. It tells us a lot about what people believed a long, long time ago. It shows us how important their faith was. It's like a window into the past, showing us how people felt and what they believed. Isn't that amazing? What do you think is the most interesting part of this painting? (Pause for answers) nn

So, next time you see a painting, remember to look closely! Look at the colors, the light, and the way the artist painted the people or things. You might be surprised at what you discover! Thank you for joining me today. I hope you enjoyed learning about Saint John the Evangelist! Now, let's go see some more amazing art!