A male saint, seated (St Paul) Study for the Disputa

The central figure is shown in a contemplative pose, seated and draped in heavy robes with one hand resting on a large book. A secondary, larger study of a bearded male head appears on the left, while smaller sketches of figures and a cherub are visible at the bottom. The drawing uses chalk to explore the volume and posture of the saint in preparation for a larger fresco.

This work is a component of the decorative program for the Stanza della Segnatura, which represents the Renaissance humanist synthesis of classical philosophy and Christian theology. St. Paul’s presence in the 'Disputa' highlights the role of Apostolic authority and rhetoric within the Neoplatonic intellectual environment of the court of Pope Julius II.