Date : between 1530 and 1535
Material : Oil on canvas
Acquisition : Lady Armour Endowment (2001)
| Item 9 on 16
European Painting
Painting (Thème religieux)
Area related
Italy
| 
 |  | |
| Description |  |
|
In recent years, Savoldo has come to be recognized as a major master of the Italian Renaissance. Born, and probably trained, in Brescia, he was exposed both to the literal realism of local Lombard painting and to the most progressive artistic trends in nearby Venice. Through Flemish contacts, Savoldo also became acquainted with the subtle effects of light achieved in Netherlandish pictures, particularly in nocturnal scenes. Drawing on these various sources, he created a darkly poetic style, admired for its portrayal of reflective psychological states and evocative landscapes, and for its tour - de - force renderings of luminous garments.
The painting depicts the murder of St. Peter Martyr, a thirteenth - century Dominican friar who devoted himself to reconverting to Catholicism the Cathar heretics in the Veneto - Lombard region of Italy. Enraged by his activities, a group of Cathars ambushed him on the road between Como and Milan. The Cathar's vibrant red jacket conveys the passion and anger of his act, otherwise veiled by his curiously introspective countenance. St. Peter's vulnerability and resignation are eloquently communicated by his open left hand, isolated at the very center of the composition. The ominous, twilit sky behind his head fittingly complements the narrative.
| Item(s) related | |
| Related article(s) | |
Les Actes des Apôtres
Les Actes des Apôtres, qui raconte les débuts de l'Eglise chrétienne, est la suite l'Evangile de saint Luc. La deuxième partie du livre retrace les voyages saint Paul à Chypre, en Macédoine, en Grèce et Asie mineure, jusqu'à son arrestation à Jérusalem.
|
