Flemish Master, 18th Century, The Conversion of Saint Paul

This powerful oil painting, attributed to an 18th-century Flemish master, depicts the dramatic biblical moment of The Conversion of Saint Paul on the road to Damascus. The artist has captured the precise instant when Saul of Tarsus, a zealous persecutor of early Christians, is struck down by a blinding divine light.
The central figure, a Roman general in blue and turquoise armour, lies on the ground, having been thrown from his white horse. He looks skyward in a state of both awe and terror, his hand raised as if hearing the voice of Christ. Above him, a celestial vision unfolds, with cherubic angels and an ethereal figure, likely Christ, holding a cross—a clear sign of the divine revelation.
The scene is set against the backdrop of a military campaign, with a Roman standard-bearer on a dark horse carrying a banner inscribed with "SPQR" (Senatus Populusque Romanus), emphasizing Saul's official mission. The chaotic composition, filled with other soldiers and a loyal dog in the foreground, highlights the sudden and transformative nature of the event