Spanish school, second third of the 16th century.
"The Beheading of Saint Blaise.
Oil on panel.
It presents slight craquelures.
Measurements: 138 x 80,5 cm.
In this painting of refined workmanship, the Bishop of Sebaste in Cappadocia appears in this painting belonging to the Spanish Renaissance wearing episcopal vestments and attributes. He joins his hands in prayer and his face is serene despite the fact that he is about to be beheaded. Martyr during Diocletian's persecution, his dead body lies simultaneously on the ground, showing the different moments of his decapitation. This is a pictorial device rooted in medieval tradition. The spatial composition is made more complex by the coexistence of different scenes from the saint's life in the same frame: behind the execution scene, we see Saint Blaise imprisoned behind the bars of a tower. Characteristic of the Renaissance period is the removal of all signs of suffering from the faces of the figures, as well as the softness of their gestures. The chromatic richness of the palette stands out, while the drawing is no less prominent. The influence of the Flemish school is evident in both aspects.
Blas of Sebaste was bishop of Sebaste (Armenia) and a Christian martyr. He was tortured and executed under the Roman Emperor Licinius in the early 4th century. According to legend, he was tortured (hung from a pole and lacerated with carding rakes) and finally beheaded. In the Middle Ages, his cult spread throughout the East and later the West, and he became the patron saint of numerous localities. His feast day is celebrated on 3 February and is usually associated with a multitude of popular traditions and customs.