Artwork
Martyrdom of St Stephen
Martyrdom of St Stephen is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Pietro da Cortona. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays the martyrdom of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr, as he is being stoned to death. This scene underscores his unwavering faith and serves as a visual testament to the sacrifice and steadfastness central to early Christian belief.
Technique & Style
As a Baroque painting, it depicts the stoning of Saint Stephen, utilizing the medium to render the dramatic narrative typical of the artist's style.
Pietro da Cortona executed the Martyrdom of St Stephen in 1660 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 260.5 cm in height and 149 cm in width, presenting a large-scale religious composition. As a Baroque painting, it depicts the stoning of Saint Stephen, utilizing the medium to render the dramatic narrative typical of the artist's style. The piece remains part of the Hermitage Museum collection in Italy.
History & Provenance
The Martyrdom of St Stephen by Pietro da Cortona is held in the State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg. Its inventory number is ГЭ-602.
The painting was exhibited at the exhibition “Pietro da Cortona e l’arte del Seicento italiano” held in Rome in 2003–2004.
Overview
Pietro da Cortona’s oil on canvas Martyrdom of St Stephen, executed in 1660, presents a violent biblical episode rendered in the dramatic language of early Italian Baroque. The composition centers on the stoning of the first Christian martyr, surrounded by a crowd whose gestures convey anguish and tension. The work now belongs to the collection of the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.
Context
Created at a time when Cortona was renowned for grand frescoes and architectural projects in Rome and Florence, the canvas reflects the Baroque emphasis on theatricality and emotional engagement. Working alongside contemporaries such as Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cortona translated the dynamism of his ceiling decorations onto a portable format, contributing to the diffusion of Roman Baroque aesthetics beyond ecclesiastical settings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pietro da Cortona (Italian:; 1 November 1596 or 1597 – 16 May 1669) was an Italian Baroque painter and architect.
