Laurentius, Archdeacon of Rome, is placed on the glowing grate because he refused to hand over the church treasure to Emperor Valerian. A putto floats down from above to bring Laurentius a palm branch and a wreath as a sign of victory. A pagan priest points a finger up to convince Laurentius of the power of Jupiter, whose idol rises in the background to the left. On the left edge of the picture, soldiers watch the cruel execution. The painter was inspired for his work by a composition by Peter Paul Rubens depicting the martyrdom of St. Lawrence. In contrast to Rubens, he moved the event into the night to emphasize the lighting effects.
Dear Customers,
We would like to inform you that you can now find us at our new premises at the address: Na Zátorce 590/12, 160 00 Prague 6 – Bubeneč.
We look forward to your visit.
Your gallery team
FINE ANTIQUES PRAGUE
