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Small Whale · Reading worksheet

The Apotheosis of Saint Thomas Aquinas

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/the-apotheosis-of-saint-thomas-aquinas

Step 2 · Questions

1. What is the artist?
2. What is the year painted?
3. Who is Saint Thomas Aquinas in the painting?
4. What does the word 'Apotheosis' mean?

Step 3 · Words to know

Write what each word means, using the article.

Altarpiece
Spanish Baroque
Theological Statement

Step 4 · Two facts in your own words

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

1.

2.

Answer key (teacher copy)

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the artist?Francisco de Zurbarán
2. What is the year painted?1631
3. Who is Saint Thomas Aquinas in the painting?He is a saint shown flying up to heaven, surrounded by angels and other holy people.
4. What does the word 'Apotheosis' mean?It means becoming divine or being glorified, showing the saint’s rise to heaven.

Altarpiece: A large artwork, often a painting or sculpture, placed behind the altar in a church.
Spanish Baroque: An artistic style from 17th-century Spain, known for drama, emotion, and realism.
Theological Statement: An artwork or writing that expresses and explores religious beliefs and doctrines.