Who painted Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence?

Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence was painted by Michael Pacher in 1465.

Where can I see Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence?

Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence is held by Kunsthistorisches Museum.

What movement is Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence?

Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence is associated with Early Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence?

Museum-quality prints of Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence

Michael Pacher , 1465

Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence is an oil painting by the Early Renaissance artist Michael Pacher. It dates from 1465 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition likely draws on hagiographic accounts in which Sixtus predicts Lawrence’s future suffering, reinforcing the theme of steadfastness under trial.

The painting depicts the final encounter between Pope Sixtus II and Saint Lawrence, moments before Sixtus’s martyrdom. According to early Christian tradition, Sixtus was led to execution while Lawrence, his deacon, witnessed the scene; the work visualizes their poignant farewell and the transfer of responsibility that precedes Lawrence’s own martyrdom.

Symbolically, the scene underscores the bond between mentor and disciple amid persecution, emphasizing the transmission of faith and the cost of Christian witness. The composition likely draws on hagiographic accounts in which Sixtus predicts Lawrence’s future suffering, reinforcing the theme of steadfastness under trial.

Technique & Style

Michael Pacher executed Pope Sixtus II. bids farewell to St. Lawrence in 1465 using oil paint applied to a wooden panel support. The work measures 104 cm in height and 100 cm in width, representing a square format typical of devotional panels from this period. As a religious painting, the piece demonstrates the artist's handling of oil on wood, a medium that allowed for detailed rendering of figures and textures within the sacred narrative.

The physical object is currently held in a major collection, confirming its preservation as a significant example of mid-15th-century panel painting.

History & Provenance

Michael Pacher created Pope Sixtus II bids farewell to St. Lawrence in 1465, executing the work in oil on panel measuring 104 cm in height and 100 cm in width. The painting entered the Belvedere collection, which is now part of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, where it remains on display.

Overview

Created in 1465 by the Tyrolean artist Michael Pacher, this oil-on-panel painting presents a solemn encounter between Pope Sixtus II and the martyr Saint Lawrence. Executed during Pacher’s early adoption of Renaissance methods in the German lands, the work now belongs to the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s collection.

Context

Pacher’s career spanned painting, sculpture, and architecture, with a reputation for producing large, intricately carved altarpieces. This work exemplifies his transition from Gothic conventions toward the emerging Renaissance aesthetic, illustrating the cross‑regional exchange of artistic ideas in the mid‑15th century.

Saint Lawrence Arraigned Before the Prefect Valerianus, Lorenzo di Niccolò

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Artist & collection

Artist

Michael Pacher

Michael Pacher (c. 1435 – August 1498) was a painter and sculptor from Tyrol active during the second half of the fifteenth century. He was one of the earliest artists to introduce the principles of Renaissance painting…