07 Works, Today, June 18th, is martyr Saints Leontius, Hypatius and Theodolus's day, their story in Paintings #169

Unknown artist

Martyrs Leontius, Hypatius, and Theodulus at Tripoli in Syria

Saints Leontius, Hypatius and Theodolus were Roman soldiers who, according to Christian tradition, were martyred for their faith.

Unknown artist

Phoenician city of Tripoli 

Leontius was Greek by origin, and served as an officer of the imperial army in the Phoenician city of Tripoli during the reign of Vespasian (70-79). Leontius was distinguished for his bravery and good sense, and the people of Tripoli held him in deep respect because of his virtue.

Attributed to Abraham Janssens (Flemish, 1575–1632)

Vespasian

Oil on Canvas

62 x 52 cm. (24.4 x 20.5 in.)

Private collection

Abraham Janssens I, Abraham Janssen I or Abraham Janssens van Nuyssen (1575–1632) was a Flemish painter, who is known principally for his large religious and mythological works, which show the influence of Caravaggio. He was the leading history painter in Flanders prior to the return of Rubens from Italy.

Abraham Janssens was born in Antwerp as the son of Jan Janssens and Roelofken van Huysen or Nuyssen.[2] There is some uncertainty regarding his year of birth. He was previously thought to have been born in the year 1567, but it is now more generally assumed that his date of birth was 1575.

Janssens studied under Jan Snellinck and was registered as a pupil in the local Guild of Saint Luke in 1585. He travelled to Italy where he resided mainly in Rome between 1597 and 1602. After returning to his home country he became a master in the Antwerp Guild in the guild year 1601-1602.

In 1607 he became the dean of the Antwerp Guild of St Luke. This is also the time when he received his first major commissions, which initiated the most important period of his career. Until the return of Rubens to Antwerp in 1608, Janssens was considered perhaps the best history painter of his time. After Rubens became the dominant force for large altarpieces in the Antwerp market, Janssens had to find commissions for large monumental works from provincial patrons.

Janssens joined in 1610 the Confrerie of Romanists, a society of Antwerp humanists and artists who had travelled to Rome. The diversity and high positions held by the Confrerie's membership offered him a good opportunity to meet with potential patrons. More on Abraham Janssens

The emperor appointed the Roman senator Adrian as governor of the Phoenician district, with full powers to hunt out Christians, and in case of their refusal to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods, to give them over to torture and death. On his way to Phoenicia, Adrian received a report that Leontius had turned many away from worshipping the pagan gods. 

Domenico Antonio Vaccaro, Italian, 1678-1745

(Solomon) Worshiping a Pagan God, ca. between 1695 and 1700

Oil on canvas

71 5/8 × 82 3/8 inches (182 × 209.3 cm)

Detroit Institute of Arts.

Domenico Antonio Vaccaro (June 3, 1678 – June 13, 1745) was an Italian painter, sculptor and architect. He created many important sculptural and architectural projects in Naples. His later works are executed in an individualistic Rococo style.

Domenico Antonio Vaccaro was born in Naples as the son of Lorenzo Vaccaro. His father Lorenzo was a pupil of Cosimo Fanzago. Domenico Antonio Vaccaro first studied under his father. He subsequently trained in the workshop of Francesco Solimena.

Works of interest include a statue of Moses in the church of San Ferdinando, interior work at the Chiesa di Santa Maria in Portico, and the statues of Penitence and Solitude on the premises of the monastery (now museum) of San Martino. More on Domenico Antonio Vaccaro

The governor sent the tribune Hypatius with a detachment of soldiers to Tripoli so as to find and arrest the Christian Leontius. Along the way the tribune Hypatius fell seriously ill, and being near death, he saw in a dream an angel, which said: "If you wish to be healed, you and your soldiers should say three times: 'God of Leontius, help me.'".

Cristóbal Vela  (1588–1654)

San Miguel Arcángel, Ca. 1630-1635

Oil on canvas

Height: 177 cm (69.6 in); Width: 117 cm (46 in)

Cordoba Fine Arts Museum

Cristóbal Vela (c. 1588-1658) was a Spanish Baroque painter and gilder.

Vela studied the first principles of painting in Córdoba, Andalusia, under Pablo de Céspedes. He then went to settle in Madrid where he completed his art studies in the school of Vincenzo Carducci. His artistic education took place in Seville beginning in 1610 so that the Sevillian school influenced his work thereafter. 

Vela's painting technique veered towards Mannerism and was also influenced by Naturalism as well as architecture such as the El Escorial.

He returned to Jaen in 1618 and he took over the work on the golden altarpiece of San Anton in the church of San Juan. A year after, he was hired to create an altarpiece for a client in Campillo de Arenas.

In 1627, he was established in Priego. In 1635, Vela relocated to Cordoba and created plenty of documented works. In 1645 he was commissioned to complete altarpiece paintings of the cathedral. This is considered to be one of the painter's achievements although he appeared to have been selected due to his seniority and his status as an esteemed member of Cordoba's society.

Many of Vela's works are now lost while several suffered irretrievable damage wrought by unskilled restoration More on Cristóbal Vela

Opening his eyes Hypatius beheld the angel and said, "I was sent to arrest Leontius, how is it that I should appeal to his God?" At this moment the angel became invisible. Hypatius told his dream to the soldiers, among whom was his friend Theodolus, and all of them together asked for help from the God whom Leontius confessed. Hypatius was immediately healed, to the great joy of his soldiers.

Upon their arrival in the city, a stranger met them and invited them to his house, where he lavishly hosted the travelers. Learning that their hospitable host was St Leontius, they fell on their knees and asked him to enlighten them with faith in the True God. They were baptized there. The remaining soldiers in search of their commander arrived in Tripoli, where the governor Adrian had also arrived. Learning what had happened, he order Leontius, Hypatius and Theodolus to be brought to him. After threatening them with torture and death, he demanded that they renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to the Roman gods.

Unknown artist

Holy Martyrs Leontios, Hypatios and Theodoulos at Tripoli in Syria

All three firmly confessed their faith in Christ. Hypatius was put under a column and raked with iron claws, and Theodolus was mercilessly beaten with rods. Seeing the steadfastness of these saints, they beheaded them. After torture, they sent Leontius to prison. In the morning he came before the governor. Adrian tried to entice him with honors and rewards, but accomplishing nothing, he gave him over to new tortures. 

Oliver Peterson, United States

The Hanged Man

Collage

10 W x 20 H x 1 in

Private collection

Oliver Peterson Born 1976 New York, NY. Lives and works in Water Mill, NY Water Mill resident. Peterson finds inspiration in graffiti, structural decay, the pop zeitgeist, literature, politics, history, religion and his personal experience. The diverse subject matter drives the artist's work to challenging places, but Peterson's paintings are very much about the media from which they are built. The artist frequently experiments with paint and patinas and often applies random studio detritus to compositions that have been described as energetic, complex, masculine, dark, and even gentle. Peterson's recent work includes a series he calls "Arcane Anatomy" and "Guide," which has some Pop influences. He was chosen as a Long Island Pulse Artist VIP in 2008, and his pieces have been featured in The New York Times, NY Daily News, Newsday and nearly all of the East End/Hamptons publications. More on Oliver Peterson

Leontius was suspended head downwards from a pillar with a heavy stone about his neck, but nothing could make him renounce Christ. The governor gave orders to beat the sufferer with rods until he died. They then threw Leontius' body outside the city, but Christians reverently buried it near Tripoli. More on Saints Leontius, Hypatius and Theodolus

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, 365 Saints and 365 Days, also visit my Boards on Pinterest

Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others. Some Images may be subject to copyright

I don't own any of these images - credit is always given when due unless it is unknown to me. if I post your images without your permission, please tell me.

I do not sell art, art prints, framed posters or reproductions. Ads are shown only to compensate the hosting expenses.

If you enjoyed this post, please share with friends and family.

Thank you for visiting my blog and also for liking its posts and pages.

Please note that the content of this post primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.