Hispano-Flemish school; first half of the 16th century.

Hispano-Flemish school; first half of the XVI century.
"Saint John the Evangelist".
Oil on panel.
Measurements: 106 x 58 cm; 116,5 x 68 cm (frame).
This image collects a rare iconographic model of St. John the Evangelist, in which the saint appears holding a chalice with his right hand, from which comes out a green snake, while he approaches his hand towards the snake that emerges from the golden chalice. Until well into the 20th century, it was a tradition to bring bottles of wine or cider to mass that day, which would then be blessed. Thus, every time a bottle of wine or cider was opened in the house, a little of the wine blessed on the feast of St. John the Evangelist was to be poured into the new bottle. The tradition stems from a story associated with the saint's biography: it is told that, while in Ephesus, John was offered a cup of poisoned wine. Before drinking, he blessed the drink and the poison came out of the cup in the form of a small green snake.
The Flemish school of the 16th century occupies a central place in the history of European art for its technical refinement, its sensitivity to detail and its ability to combine realism with the symbolic. Heir to the tradition begun by masters such as Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden in the 15th century, 16th century Flemish painting was able to adapt to the cultural and religious transformations of its time, maintaining its distinctive identity even in the face of the expansion of the Italian Renaissance.
One of the most notable characteristics of this school is the masterful use of oil painting, a technique that the Flemish not only perfected, but elevated to an unprecedented expressive tool. The handling of color, the depth achieved through glazes and the almost microscopic representation of textures give Flemish works a level of realism that surprises even the contemporary viewer. In his compositions, it is common to find a meticulous attention to everyday objects, to surfaces - whether metals, fabrics, flowers or skin - and to lighting effects, all integrated into an iconography of great intellectual and spiritual complexity.
During the 16th century, and especially in the southern Netherlands (present-day Belgium), Flemish painting underwent a process of synthesis between the Gothic tradition and the influences of the Italian Renaissance. Artists such as Pieter Bruegel the Elder took this fusion to new heights, introducing a profoundly humanistic vision and a narrative sensibility that broadened the thematic horizons of painting. In works such as The Return of the Hunters or The Tower of Babel, Bruegel demonstrated that painting could be not only a vehicle for devotion, but also for social criticism, observation of human behavior and philosophical reflection.
The importance of the Flemish school also lies in its international impact. Its works circulated widely throughout Europe and were highly valued in Spain, Germany, England and Italy. Collectors and patrons appreciated both their aesthetic value and their symbolic and moral content. This diffusion helped to establish certain pictorial models -such as half-length portraits, landscapes or genre scenes- that would profoundly influence other national schools.