Saint Lawrence (Zurbarán)

Saint Lawrence is a 1636-1639 oil on canvas painting by Francisco de Zurbarán, now in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.[1] It was probably commissioned by cardinal Gabriele Paleotti, archbishop of Bologna, or by the Monastery of San José.[2]

Saint Lawrence (1636-1639) by Francisco de Zurbarán

It shows the saint holding a gridiron, the instrument of his martyrdom, and in a rich red dalmatic, showing his status as a martyr and a deacon. On the dalmatic is embroidered an image of Saint Paul, emphasising Lawrence's continuation of Paul's mission to the Gentiles, whilst over Lawrence's left wrist is a maniple, symbolising the chains placed on Christ at his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. The ruins of a pagan temple and green trees in the background symbolise the fall of pagan Rome and Christ's resurrection respectively.[3]

References
  1. "Catalogue entry".
  2. "WGA entry".
  3. (in Polish) Małgorzata Wrześniak: Święci według mistrzów. Warszawa: Demart S.A., 2009, page 97. ISBN 978-83-7427-535-4
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