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Secondary sourcePainting1506

St Paul Writing His Epistles with John Colet

Unknown (possibly school of Simon Bening or a follower of Horenbout) · 1506

An illuminated manuscript miniature showing Paul writing his letters, paired with the later scholar John Colet, linking Paul's writings to Christian learning.

Shows Paul writing his epistles, the core act for which he is remembered, linked to a later scholar's devotion.

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Illuminated manuscript miniature in an arched frame: an elderly bearded man in a blue robe under a red cloak sits writing on a sheet in a landscape. A standing man in a blue tunic and orange hat gestures toward a kneeling figure in grey and white. A castle and small figures appear behind.
St Paul Writing His Epistles with John Colet, c. 1506. British Library MS Royal 1 E V, folio 5.

About this source

What it is

This is an illuminated miniature from a manuscript held by the British Library (MS Royal 1 E V), made around 1506, possibly by an artist connected to the school of Simon Bening or a follower of Horenbout working in England. It shows Paul writing his epistles alongside the English scholar John Colet.

Why it matters

Made over a thousand years after Paul's lifetime, the image reflects how later Christian scholars like Colet saw themselves as continuing Paul's tradition of teaching and writing. It shows the lasting influence of Paul's letters on Christian education in Renaissance England.

Look closer

  • Why do you think the artist placed a much later scholar, John Colet, in the same scene as Paul?
  • What does Paul's pose and writing tool suggest about how he was remembered?
  • What does this image tell us about how medieval and Renaissance Christians connected themselves to biblical figures?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Paul on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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