1616
oil
canvas
From the collection of Musée des Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes
Martyrdom of Saint Stephen (central panel) is a 1616 oil by Peter Paul Rubens, a Flemish Baroque painting work, depicting Burial, held at Musée des Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes.
This painting shows a dramatic scene with many people. In the center, a man in a red robe is being stoned by a group of men. He looks up towards the sky, where angels are holding a crown and a palm branch. The men throwing stones are shown in different poses, some with their arms raised, others with their faces contorted in anger. The background is a blue sky with white clouds. In the foreground, some men are shown in various states of undress, with their muscles visible. The overall mood of the painting is one of tension and drama, with the central figure's expression conveying a sense of acceptance and resignation. The use of chiaroscuro, a technique that uses strong contrasts of light and dark, adds to the dramatic effect of the painting.
Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ROO-bənz; Dutch: ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat.
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