The Sermon of St. Stephen (Carpaccio)

The Sermon of Saint Stephenis an oil-on-canvas painting byItalianartistVittore Carpaccio, done in 1514. The painting is from theVenetian Renaissanceand depicts the firstChristianmartyr,St. Stephen, giving a sermon. The painting involves its audience as active witnesses to St. Stephen's actions and influence. Set within a spacious landscape, an event of religious significance unfolds. The painting now resides in theLouvreinParis.
The Sermon of Saint Stephendepicts the moment ofSt. Stephendelivering his powerful sermon to an audience. His composed and confident posture alongside the mixed expressions on the crowd's faces capture the value and intensity of his message; Some of the figures are engaged and others are skeptical. The scene overall emphasizes many of the cultural and religious praises and tensionsSt. Stephenmay have faced during his service. In the foreground, St. Stephen passionately stands on a pedestal, overlooking a diverse crowd as he delivers his speech. His presence highlights themes of faith, devotion, and martyrdom.St. Stephenwas best recognized as a man with special gifts as an evangelist. He participated in several religious debates and converted many to Christianity.The setting appears to be on a barren land with an ideal city view, reminiscent to Jerusalem. The buildings create a spacious illusion as they recede into the distance. The convoluted cityscape also features unique architectural elements. It is suggested that the artist, Carpaccio, may have been in Jerusalem for this scene as many of the elements are reminiscent of life in Jerusalem, and of theHaram-ash-Sharifwith theMosque of Omarin Jerusalem.The Middle Eastern atmosphere was aVenetiancharacteristic in paintings during the 16th and early 17th centuries. The rich colors and intricate details typical of Carpaccio's style bring a liveliness to the painting.This painting also appears to be set during mid-day, emphasizing the energy of daily life at the time. Overall, there is a dynamic interplay of the figures in the way they are seen interacting with one another; A key part ofThe Sermon of Saint Stephen.
Carpaccio's iconography for hisSt. Stephenpaintings was based on the Acts of Apostles from the Bible as well as St. Stephen's history and role as a patron saint.The painting includes a variety of ethnic groups, reflecting on the passage inActs 6:9which describes the types of people present for St. Stephen's series of events.Acts 6:9describes a situation where "some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen".
St. Stephen, the central figure of the painting, was best known to be a deacon early in the apostolic age of the Church. The preaching of his faith to the combative audience of Jews ultimately led to his martyrdom by stoning, a powerful moment in Christian history.
Beyond the figure ofSt. Stephen, an intriguing aspect of the painting is the diversity present in the crowd. By around the sixteenth century, the Turkish had become a commonly depicted theme in Italian art, reflecting the growing awareness of and interactions with different cultures.Many figures in the painting can be seen wearing turbans, indicative of people from Eastern regions (Turkish, Syrians, Arabians, and Nubians) resonating with the cultural context of the laterMameluke Empire.While many of the figures appear attentive, suggesting that his message resonated deeply, others seem to question or challenge it, creating a dynamic atmosphere in the painting. The mix of turbans, colorful garments, conservative-clothed women, and hatted Greeks, alongside their perplexed faces, harmonize the setting, illustrating the rich tapestry of cultural identities present at the time. The blend of these figures in the foreground of this multicultural architectural landscape enhances the idea of a society grappling with new ideas and beliefs.
This painting was one of five scenes representing the life ofSaint Stephen, painted between 1511 and 1514 for theScuola dei Lanieri, Santo Stefano (Venice).The series was broken up in 1806, when thereligious houseswere suppressed.Two panels went to theBrera Gallery,Milan; in 1812,Vivant Denonexchanged some of the northern paintings in theLouvrefor Italian works in the Brera, and one of these panels was transferred under this arrangement. Another is inBerlin; one has disappeared, and the fifth is inStuttgart.
The Sermon ofSaint Stephenthedeacon, represented in this Louvre painting, took place inJerusalem. This gave Carpaccio an excuse for filling his canvas with picturesque oriental costumes and architecture. Jerusalem in the early days ofChristianityis here identified asConstantinople(actuallyYoros Castleon the opposite side of theBosphorus) – an imaginative Constantinople full ofTurkish, antique,Byzantineand Italian elements. Carpaccio refers with pride, in a letter to theMarquis of Mantua, to a view of Jerusalem which he had painted.
From 1511 to 1520, Carpaccio was working for the Scuola di S. Stefano. The Scuola di Stefano, or Scuola di San Stefano, was a confraternity, or religious brotherhood in Venice.Found in the late 14th century, It was dedicated toSt. Stephen, serving as a spiritual and social organization for wool merchants and craftsmen. The Scuola functioned as a place of worship and especially artistic patronage, housing various artworks, specifically by the artistVittore Carpaccio. Carpaccio was called upon to commission five canvases, illustrating episodes from the life ofSt Stephen. This series of paintings is known as theStories from the Life of St Stephen(1511–1520), which includesSt. Stephen being Consecrated Deacon,The Sermon of St. Stephen,The Disputation of St. Stephen,The Stoning of St. Stephen,andThe Trial of St. Stephen.In the 19th century, the series was broken up and scattered between various museums. The Sermon of St Stephen became a part of the art collection at the Musee duLouvrein Paris, where it still resides today. Today, this painting suggests evidence of how religious values and influences affected people at the time.