Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Art Fund
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/benjamin-west-594" aria-label="More by Benjamin West" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Benjamin West</a>
St Paul Shaking off Viper
Presented by the Art Fund 1945
Acts, chapters 27-8
adults
animals: reptiles
Bible: New Testament
campfire
child
children
group
groups
heating and lighting
landscape
man
military
miracle
objects
people
religion and belief
rocky
Saints
snake
soldier
St Paul
universal religious imagery
woman
work and occupations
<p>West came to London from America and won fame as a history painter. He believed artists should take subjects from the most respected and improving episodes in history and literature, and promoted biblical themes whenever he could. He was commissioned to paint an altarpiece for the new chapel of Greenwich Hospital (now the Royal Naval Hospital). West exhibited this sketch for the huge work at the Royal Academy in 1787. The subject is from the New Testament. The apostle Paul performs his first miracle, on the island of Malta: he survives a snake-bite, to the wonder of the islanders.</p><p><em>Gallery label, May 2007</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
10 March 2003 – 12 July 2004
2004-07-12
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2003-03-10
Royal Academy
Collection based display
25 July 2005 – 26 July 2009
2009-07-26
25 July 2005
2005-07-25
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2005-07-25
Romantic Painting in Britain
Collection based display
18 November 2011 – 7 May 2012
2012-05-07
18 November 2011 – 7 May 2012
2012-05-07
2011-11-18
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2011-11-18
The Protestant Church
Collection based display
Sketch for ‘St Paul Shaking off the Viper’
support: 1295 × 724 mm
frame: 1588 × 1030 × 108 mm
Presented by the <a href="/search?gid=999999968" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Art Fund</a> 1945
<p>West came to London from America and won fame as a history painter. He believed artists should take subjects from the most respected and improving episodes in history and literature, and promoted biblical themes whenever he could. He was commissioned to paint an altarpiece for the new chapel of Greenwich Hospital (now the Royal Naval Hospital). West exhibited this sketch for the huge work at the Royal Academy in 1787. The subject is from the New Testament. The apostle Paul performs his first miracle, on the island of Malta: he survives a snake-bite, to the wonder of the islanders.</p>

Display caption
2007-05-03T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
Acts, chapters 27-8 adults animals: reptiles Bible: New Testament campfire child children group groups heating and lighting landscape man military miracle objects people religion and belief rocky Saints snake soldier St Paul universal religious imagery woman work and occupations