The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence 17th century

Donato Creti made this painting on canvas, probably with oil paints, sometime in the early 18th century. Look closely, and you’ll notice the composition is built around a strong diagonal axis, leading from the lower left corner up to the smoke and flames, and the saint lying on the gridiron. Creti's painting relies on both preparation and performance. It seems to have been produced in stages; the composition was sketched out, and the figures blocked in. It also embodies the drama of theatricality. The figure at the left gestures dramatically, seemingly directing the scene. The painting’s subject matter can be considered in relation to labor. Saint Lawrence’s steadfastness in the face of torture is a potent statement about the capacity of the human spirit to transcend even the most brutal physical hardship. The painting invites us to reflect on the intense labor involved in artistic creation, but also to understand how that work can make visible wider issues of faith, politics, and social justice.