Who painted St. Stephen?

St. Stephen was painted by Andrea di Bartolo.

Where can I see St. Stephen?

St. Stephen is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is St. Stephen?

St. Stephen is associated with Sienese School.

Artwork

St. Stephen

Andrea di Bartolo

St. Stephen is an unspecified painting by the Sienese School artist Andrea di Bartolo. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Andrea di Bartolo’s panel, dated 1399, portrays a solitary figure rendered in rich blue and gold fabrics. The work is part of the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it is displayed as an example of late‑fourteenth‑century Italian painting.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is dressed in a long blue robe trimmed with gold, a yellow headpiece, and a white shirt beneath, holding an open red‑bound book. The attire and the presence of the text suggest a clerical identity, likely representing a saint or a learned ecclesiastical figure.

Technique & Style

The painting exhibits the delicate line work and careful modeling characteristic of Andrea di Bartolo’s workshop. Fine brushstrokes delineate the folds of the robe, while the gold accents catch light, emphasizing the material richness typical of Gothic devotional imagery.

History & Provenance

Created at the close of the 1300s, the panel entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings through acquisition in the early twentieth century. Its provenance prior to museum ownership is not extensively documented, reflecting the common gaps in records for works of this period.