Around 1612 Rubens made a series of portraits of the apostles, in commission of the duke of Lerma. St John can be identified by the goblet: legend has it that someone tried to kill him by serving him poisoned wine. The murder attempt failed: John is said to have died a natural death.
John, a fisherman, was a brother of St James. He, Peter and James were the disciples that stood closest to Jesus. John is often mentioned as the disciple whom Jesus loved.
