Paul and Barnabas at Lystra - Gérard Audran

A detailed seventeenth-century engraving by Gérard Audran, depicting the biblical scene of Paul and Barnabas at Lystra after Raphael.

This engraving by Gérard Audran depicts the biblical narrative of Paul and Barnabas at Lystra, based on the original cartoon by Raphael. The composition captures the moment the inhabitants of Lystra mistake the apostles for gods, preparing a sacrifice of a bull before an altar. Audran, a master of the burin, translates the dramatic tension of the original painting into a monochrome medium through precise cross-hatching and varied line weights.

The scene is structured with classical architectural elements, including columns and relief-adorned pedestals, which frame the figures. To the left, Paul and Barnabas express their distress at the crowd's misunderstanding. The central figure, a man raising a mallet to strike the sacrificial bull, provides a kinetic energy that contrasts with the more static, contemplative figures of the apostles. The crowd is rendered with a range of expressions, from curiosity to religious fervour, demonstrating the technical skill required to convey human emotion through engraving.

Audran was commissioned by the French crown to reproduce the Raphael cartoons, which were then held in the royal collection. This work reflects the seventeenth-century interest in classical antiquity and the dissemination of Renaissance compositions through printmaking. The attention to anatomical detail, the drapery of the garments, and the spatial depth of the architectural setting demonstrate the high standards of the French school of engraving during the reign of Louis XIV. The print serves as a record of the Raphael cartoon, preserving the composition for study and appreciation by a wider audience beyond the royal court. The inclusion of the Latin and French inscriptions at the base provides context for the narrative, identifying the specific biblical passage and the artist's role in the reproduction process.