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Secondary sourcePainting17th century

St Thomas Aquinas, 17th-century Italian oil painting

17th century

A 17th-century Italian painting shows Aquinas writing at his desk beneath a crucifix, with an inscription recalling a story of Christ speaking to him.

A later devotional painting imagining Aquinas, reflecting his posthumous reputation rather than his lifetime appearance.

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Oil painting of a bearded monk in a dark black habit, seated at a desk with an open book and a stack of books, gazing upward. A crucifix with a figure of Christ hangs at upper right against a dark background.
St Thomas Aquinas. Oil painting by an Italian painter, 17th century. Wellcome Collection, London.

About this source

What it is

This is an oil painting by an unnamed Italian painter from the 17th century, held by the Wellcome Collection. It shows a bearded friar in a dark habit at a desk with books, gazing up at a crucifix, with the inscription "Bene scripsisti de me Thoma" ("You have written well of me, Thomas").

Why it matters

Painted centuries after Aquinas's death, this image reflects how he was remembered and venerated by later generations. The inscription recalls a legend in which Christ praised Aquinas's writings, showing how his reputation as a theologian became wrapped in devotional storytelling.

Look closer

  • Why might the painter choose to show Aquinas looking upward at the crucifix rather than down at his book?
  • What does the inscription suggest about how the painter wanted viewers to think of Aquinas?
  • How does this image differ from a realistic portrait made during his lifetime?

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

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Title page of a 1596 Venice edition printed by Iuntas, with Latin text announcing two indexes to the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas, and a central ornate oval emblem with a fleur-de-lis and the letters L and A.Book

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Pange Lingua Gloriosi Corporis Mysterium

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Engraving of a haloed saint kneeling at left, hand raised in refusal, facing a seated pope wearing a tiara and holding a crosier, with mitred bishops and a canopy behind. Latin caption text below.Painting

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Painted altarpiece panel with a gold background. Christ is enthroned at the top within a pointed arch. Below, four evangelist-like figures hold open books. A central monk in black habit holds an open book inscribed with text, surrounded by a dark circle with golden rays. Figures in red and black robes flank him, and a crowd of people with halos and a kneeling figure appear at the bottom.Painting

Secondary source

Triumph of Saint Thomas Aquinas

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Engraving of a young man with a halo kneeling in chains before a group of Dominican friars in black and white habits, who lean toward him; a small inset at upper right shows a kneeling youth before a crucifix. Latin inscription below.Painting

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