"Saint Florian" Engine Panel Painting
date: label: date made
content: 19th century
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: In the nineteenth century, volunteer fire companies often commissioned paintings to decorate their hand-pumped fire engines for parades, competitions, and community events. Sometimes framed with elaborate carvings, they adorned the tall air chamber located at the middle or rear of a pumper. The paintings would often feature patriotic, heroic, or allegorical images to associate the volunteer companies with these lofty ideals.
label: Description
content: The knight pictured is Saint Florian, who is associated with protection from the destructive forces of fire and water. Florian was a Roman guard under Emperor Diocletian who converted to Christianity. He was drowned when he refused to follow the order to persecute fellow Christians. The painting depicts Florian in his Roman garb putting out a fire with a single bucket of water, a common motif in depictions of the saint.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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content: Engine Panel Paintings
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Art
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0323
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0323
objectType: label: Object Name
content: painting, engine panel
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: tin (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: oil paint (image material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 25 in x 27 7/8 in; 63.5 cm x 70.8025 cm