Beheading of St. Paul
1370s (?)
tempera and gold on wood
painted surface: 29.1 x 37 cm
Inv. 55.156
This small panel is a fragment of a predella recounting the life of St. Paul. It was the last scene in the series; the preceding ones showed Paul’s conversion, his preaching, and his being lead to martyrdom. The painter placed the scene of the apostle’s death among antique-looking scenery and characters. Having finished their task, the soldiers stand around near the pyramid before the city gate of Ostia (present-day Porta S. Paolo) in Rome, not far from the site where tradition says Paul was martyred. The picture also shows a rarely represented element of the legend, according to which the saint’s falling head bounced three times on the ground and each time it cried Jesus’ name (written in the picture as “GESÙ”). Springs broke forth from the three depressions. In memory of this miracle, a famous pilgrimage place dedicated to the three holy wells (Abbazia delle Tre Fontane) was later founded on the site. The work belongs to the late production of Luca di Tommè: it is characterized by strong contours, dark tones and expressive lights. The sketchy execution may indicate the intervention of workshop assistants. According to Miklós Boskovits, the series belonged to a St. Paul altarpiece commissioned by the Sienese commune in memory of a victorious battle of 1363 for which the painter received a payment as late as in 1374.
D.S.
