Artwork
Martyrdom of Saint Stephen
Martyrdom of Saint Stephen is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Martin Johann Schmidt. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition emphasizes the agony of his sacrifice, with a cascade of stones rendered in stark chiaroscuro that underscores the brutal violence of his death.
The painting shows Saint Stephen in the moment of martyrdom, his figure caught in violent motion as he is stoned, his outstretched arm raised in protest while a group of persecutors hurls stones at him. The composition emphasizes the agony of his sacrifice, with a cascade of stones rendered in stark chiaroscuro that underscores the brutal violence of his death. Symbolically, the work conveys the triumph of faith over persecution, portraying Stephen’s steadfastness and divine favor through the dramatic interplay of light and shadow.
The depiction aligns with Counter‑Reformation iconography that highlighted the heroic suffering of early Christian martyrs as a testament to spiritual endurance.
Technique & Style
Created in 1780, this oil painting on canvas depicts the martyrdom of Saint Stephen. The work measures 73 cm in height by 43 cm in width and is executed in oil paint on canvas, reflecting the religious genre characteristic of Martin Johann Schmidt's oeuvre. Its formal composition and stylistic treatment align with 18th-century Central European religious painting.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced in 1780 by Martin Johann Schmidt, executed in oil on canvas. According to the Wikidata record, the work is held in the collection of the Belvedere and the Kunsthistorisches Museum, with its current location at the Belvedere. The source data does not provide further details regarding the original commission, the initial patron, or the subsequent chain of ownership prior to its acquisition by these institutions.
Martin Johann Schmidt's Martyrdom of Saint Stephen, an oil painting on canvas created in 1780, is held within the collection of the Belvedere in Vienna. The work is also associated with the Kunsthistorisches Museum, indicating a shared or historical administrative link between the two institutions regarding this piece. Measuring 73 cm in height and 43 cm in width, the painting depicts the religious subject of Saint Stephen.
The available records do not specify a unique inventory or accession number for the work, nor do they document a specific history of public exhibitions.
Overview
Martyrdom of Saint Stephen is a 1790 oil-on-canvas painting by Martin Johann Schmidt, a prominent Austrian artist of the late Baroque and Rococo periods. The work depicts the biblical martyrdom of Saint Stephen in a characteristic Rococo style, emphasizing light and ornateness.
Artist & collection
Artist
Martin Johann Schmidt, called Kremser Schmidt or Kremserschmidt, (25 September 1718 – 28 June 1801), was one of the outstanding Austrian painters of the late Baroque/Rococo along with Franz Anton Maulbertsch.
The Virgin recommending a group of Saints to the Holy Trinity
Christ's Charge to St Peter
Hl. Dominikus als Fürbitter bei Maria
Saint elevated to heaven
The Martyrdom of St Livinus
Alms donation from St. Elizabeth of Portugal
Marter der Hl. Dorothea
The Holy Ghost, Angels and the Virgin with Saints Mark, Stanislau Kostka (Holding the Child), Aloysius Gonzaga and Francesco Borgia
Madonna and Child in Glory appearing to St Stephen and three other Saints
Imposition of the Chasuble on Saint Ildephonsus
A Donor Presented to the Virgin- Martyrdom of Saint Stephen (central panel)