Friar Alonso de Sant Tomàs 1649

Juan Bautista Maíno painted Friar Alonso de Sant Tomàs, whose sombre garb speaks volumes. His black cloak and pristine white collar mark him as a Dominican friar, symbols of his devotion and the order’s intellectual rigor. But it is the eyeglasses in his hand that capture my eye; this tool, a mark of scholarship and discernment, is a potent symbol. The eyeglasses remind us of the importance of knowledge and understanding, of the need to see clearly, both literally and metaphorically. This motif carries echoes of classical philosophers holding scrolls, reappearing through the ages in portraits of learned figures. Consider how this simple object, the lens, evolves from a mere aid to vision into an emblem of wisdom. It connects us to the past, showing how the pursuit of knowledge transcends time. The portrait touches on a deeper, subconscious recognition of humanity's endless quest for understanding. The emotional resonance lies in its quiet assertion of intellectual power, inviting us to reflect on our own pursuit of clarity in a world of shadows.