Description
The painting The Stoning of St Stephen by the Italian artist Annibale Carracci is an early Baroque masterpiece noted for its impressive composition and use of colour. The painting depicts the moment when Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is stoned to death by an angry mob.
The composition of the work is exceptional, with a clear hierarchy of figures that guides the viewer through the scene. In the center of the painting is Saint Stephen, surrounded by the executioners who attack him with stones. Around him, minor characters, including Saul (later known as Saint Paul) and other witnesses, look on in horror and amazement.
The use of color in the painting is impressive, with a range of warm and cool tones creating a sense of tension and drama. The red and orange tones of the executioners' clothing contrast with the blue and green tones of the witnesses, creating a striking visual effect.
The history of the painting is interesting, as it was commissioned by Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini in 1604 for his chapel in the church of San Francesco in Ripa. The work was considered one of the best depictions of the Saint Stephen story, and was greatly admired by Carracci's contemporaries.
A little known aspect of the painting is that Carracci used live models to create the figures in the work. The artist is known to have hired a group of beggars and homeless people to pose for him, allowing him to create realistically detailed figures.
In short, Annibale Carracci's The Stoning of St Stephen is an early Baroque masterpiece noted for its stunning composition, use of color, and attention to detail. The work is one of the best representations of the story of Saint Stephen and is a priceless treasure of Italian art.