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The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence

Daniel Seiter

1685

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Religious

Dominant colour

The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence is a 1685 chalk by Daniel Seiter, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Daniel Seiter
When & what style?: 1685 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a chaotic scene with a crowd of people in the background, some on horseback. At the center, a man lies on a gridiron, his arms outstretched as if in pain. Above him, flames and smoke swirl, while a winged figure hovers nearby, holding a palm frond. The drawing uses quick, sketchy lines with light shading to show movement and emotion. The artist mixed chalk, ink, and wash to create depth and texture, especially in the smoke and clothing. Next, explore the Baroque movement to see how drama like this shaped art.