Saint Paul the Hermit

Luca Giordano, St. Paul the Hermit, 1685-1690, oil on canvas, 216.54 x 160.02 cm, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond

Paul is considered to be the first hermit, and lived in the desert for over 90 years.  The only person he met was Saint Anthony the Hermit, who saw him shortly before he died, and buried him with the help of two lions.

An attribute of Saint Paul the Hermit not seen here is lions, signifying the lions that helped bury him.