Acts 9
The Conversion of Paul in Biblical Art
Paul's conversion gives artists one of the Bible's great images of interruption, judgment, grace, and calling.
Bible and Art Context
Caravaggio lowers the drama to the ground. Saul is fallen and helpless beneath the horse, while the unseen voice of Christ redirects the life of a persecutor into apostleship.
Public domain
The Conversion of Saint Paul
Caravaggio, circa 1600-1601, Oil on canvas
The fallen body of Saul makes conversion look less like self-improvement and more like divine interruption.
Source: Wikimedia CommonsQuestions about Conversion of Paul in Art
Where is Paul's conversion in the Bible?
Paul's conversion is described in Acts 9, with later retellings in Acts 22 and Acts 26.
Why does Caravaggio show Saul on the ground?
The fallen posture shows the humbling force of Christ's call and the collapse of Saul's former path.