preview

Scourging Of The Four Martyrs Summary

Good Essays

Niccolo di Pietro Gerini’s Scourging of the Four Crowned Martyrs (1385-90) depicts a scene in which four martyrs are pursued by a group of men with some scourging tool (which resembles a modern-day rake). A late Gothic painting in which Gerini depicts a Catholic story of the Four Crowned Martyrs, the Scourging incorporates much of the static, stiff forms which are characteristic of the period’s prevailing style. In the painting, one can notice clear divisions of space, distinct separations of forms within that space, and emphases on the men doing the scourging within that space as a function of where the light is directed in the painting. An analysis of these three key elements of the painting suggests a cohesive assertion about the way the painting’s subjects are depicted within the image. Initially it seems apparent that the four martyrs are depicted in a negative manner with the scourging men taking precedence. However, an analysis beyond the obvious elements – particularly the figure suspended in the air and the devilish figures attacking the scourging men – suggest that the four martyrs are actually being depicted in a more positive light. A brief discussion of the subject matter of the painting serves as an important starting point. The most obvious subjects, as suggested by the title of the piece, are the four crowned martyrs. Located on the far right side of the painting to the viewer are the four crowned martyrs being pursued by the men in front of them (to our

Get Access