08 works, Today, September 16th, is Martyr Euphemia the Goth's day, her story illustrated #258

Andrea Mantegna, (1431–1506)

Saint Euphemia, c. 1454

Tempera on canvas

190 × 95 cm (74.8 × 37.4 in)

National Museum of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy

Andrea Mantegna ( c. 1431 – September 13, 1506) was an Italian painter, a student of Roman archeology, and son-in-law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna experimented with perspective, e.g. by lowering the horizon in order to create a sense of greater monumentality. His flinty, metallic landscapes and somewhat stony figures give evidence of a fundamentally sculptural approach to painting. He also led a workshop that was the leading producer of prints in Venice before 1500. More on Andrea Mantegna

The Holy Great Martyr Euphemia the All-Praised was the daughter of Christians, the senator Philophronos and Theodosia. She suffered for Christ in the year 304 in the city of Chalcedon, on the banks of the Bosphorus opposite Constantinople.

Unknown artist

Chalcedon and its surroundings to appear at a pagan festival

I have no further description, at this time

The Chalcedon governor Priscus circulated an order to all the inhabitants of Chalcedon and its surroundings to appear at a pagan festival to worship and offer sacrifice to an idol of Ares, threatening grave torments for anyone who failed to appear. During this impious festival, 49 Christians were hidden in one house, where they secretly attended services to the True God.

Matushka Constantina Palmer

St. Euphemia 

"The border is taken from a poem about St. Euphemia by St. Nikolai Velimirovitch"

I have no further description, at this time

Matushka Constantina Palmer is a Canadian living in Thessaloniki, Greece

The young maiden Euphemia was also among those praying there. Soon the hiding place of the Christians was discovered, and they were brought before Priscus to answer for themselves. For nineteen days the martyrs were subjected to various tortures and torments, but none of them wavered in their faith nor consented to offer sacrifice to the idol. The governor, beside himself with rage and not knowing any other way of forcing the Christians to abandon their faith, sent them for trial to the emperor Diocletian. He kept the youngest, the virgin Euphemia, hoping that she would not remain strong if she were all alone.

Saint Euphemia, separated from her brethren in faith, fervently prayed the Lord Jesus Christ, that He strengthen her in her impending ordeal. Priscus at first urged the saint to recant, promising her earthly blessings, but then he gave the order to torture her.

Unknown artist

St. Euphemia being tortured a wheel with sharp knives

Fresco

I have no further description, at this time

The martyr was tied to a wheel with sharp knives, which cut her body. The saint prayed aloud, and as it happened, the wheel stopped by itself and would not move even with all the efforts of the executioners. An angel of the Lord, came down from Heaven, removed Euphemia from the wheel and healed her of her wounds. The saint gave thanks unto the Lord with gladness.

Unknown artist

Detail of fresco of the Martyrdom of St. Euphemia

Fresco

Decani Monastery,  Deçan, Kosovo

I have no further description, at this time

Not perceiving the miracle that had occurred, the torturer ordered the soldiers Victor and Sosthenes to take the saint to a red-hot oven. But the soldiers, seeing two fearsome angels in the midst of the flames, refused to carry out the order of the governor and became believers in the God Whom Euphemia worshipped. Boldly proclaiming that they too were Christians, Victor and Sosthenes bravely went to suffering. 

Saint Euphemia, cast into the fire by other soldiers, remained unharmed. With the help of God she emerged unharmed after many other tortures and torments. Ascribing this to sorcery, the governor gave orders to dig out a new pit, and filling it with knives, he had it covered over with earth and grass, so that the martyr would not notice the preparation for her execution.

Unknown artist

Martyrdom of St. Euphemia

Mural 

Basilica Saint Euphemia, Rovinj, Croatia

They were sent to be eaten by wild beasts. During their execution, they cried out for mercy to God, asking that the Lord would receive them into the Heavenly Kingdom. A heavenly Voice answered their cries, and they entered into eternal life. The beasts, however, did not even touch their bodies.

Unknown artist

Martyrdom of St. Euphemia, 16th Century

Fresco

Monastery of St. Bessarion, Douskiou, Pyli, Greece

Finally, one of the she-bears gave her a small wound on the leg, from which came blood, and immediately the holy Great Martyr Euphemia died. During this time there was an earthquake, and both the guards and the spectators ran in terror, so that the parents of the saint were able to take up her body and reverently bury it not far from Chalcedon.More on Martyr Euphemia

Vasily Surikov  (1848–1916)

Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon, 450 AD, c. 1876

Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation

The Fourth Ecumenical Council convened in the city of Chalcedon in the year 451. The 630 delegates gathered in the church of Saint Euphemia where her holy relics were housed. The council repudiated the Eutychian doctrine of monophysitism, and set forth the Chalcedonian Creed, which describes the "full humanity and full divinity" of Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.

Unknown artist

Patriarch of Constantinople ( 449 - 458 )

I have no further description, at this time

As no decisive consensus could be reached, the holy Patriarch Anatolius of Constantinople proposed that the Council submit the decision of the Church dispute to the Holy Spirit, through His undoubted bearer St. Euphemia. The Orthodox hierarchs and their opponents wrote down their confessions of faith on separate scrolls and sealed them with their seals. 

Unknown artist

ST. EUPHEMIA AND THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

I have no further description, at this time

They opened the tomb of the saint and placed both scrolls upon her bosom. Then, in the presence of the emperor Marcian (450-457), the participants of the Council sealed the tomb, putting on it the imperial seal and setting a guard to watch over it for three days. During these days both sides imposed upon themselves strict fasting and prayer. 

Unknown artist

ST. EUPHEMIA AND THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

Icon detail showing the miraculous revelation

I have no further description, at this time

After three days the patriarch and the emperor, in the presence of the Council, opened the tomb and found the scroll with the Orthodox confession was held by St Euphemia in her right hand, while the scroll of the heretics lay at her feet. St. Euphemia, as though alive, raised her hand and gave the scroll to the patriarch. As a result of this miracle, many of the heretics accepted the Orthodox confession, while those remaining obstinant in their heresy were consigned to the Council's condemnation and excommunication.

The doctrine is important because of the fact that Jesus is affirmed by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 as possessing two natures but in a single person.

This miracle is attested by a letter sent by the council to Pope Leo I. More on the Miracle during the Council of Chalcedon

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, and 365 Saints, 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.

12 Works, Today, April 25th, is St. Mark's day, With Footnotes - #115

Andrea Mantegna, (1431–1506) 

Saint Mark, c. 1450

Tempera on canvas

Height: 82 cm (32.2 in); Width: 63.5 cm (25 in)

Städel Museum, Frankfurt

Andrea Mantegna ( c. 1431 – September 13, 1506) was an Italian painter, a student of Roman archeology, and son-in-law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna experimented with perspective, e.g. by lowering the horizon in order to create a sense of greater monumentality. His flinty, metallic landscapes and somewhat stony figures give evidence of a fundamentally sculptural approach to painting. He also led a workshop that was the leading producer of prints in Venice before 1500. More on Andrea Mantegna

The Coptic Church or the Church of Alexandria is called “Sees of St. Mark”; one of the earliest four sees: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome.

St. Mark was an African native who belonged to the Levites’ tribe. His family moved to Jerusalem with their child John Mark. Apparently, he was given a good education and became conversant in both Greek and Latin in addition to Hebrew. His family was highly religious and in close relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. His cousin was St. Barnabas and his father’s cousin was St. Peter. His mother, Mary, played an important part in the early days of the Church in Jerusalem. Her upper room became the first Christian church in the world.  Also, this is the same place where the Lord appeared to the disciples after His resurrection and His Holy Spirit came upon them.

Maerten de Vos, (1532–1603)

The Marriage at Cana, between 1596 and 1597

Oi on panel

Height: 268 cm (105.5 in); Width: 235 cm (92.5 in)

Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, Belgium

Maerten de Vos, Maerten de Vos the Elder or Marten de Vos (1532 – 4 December 1603) Flemish painter and draughtsman. In 1552 he went to Italy and studied in Rome, in Florence, and with Tintoretto in Venice. In 1558 he was back in Antwerp where after the death of Frans Floris in 1570 he became the leading Italianate artist in that city. The altarpieces that make up the bulk of his output are typically Mannerist in their strained, slender elegance.

Together with the brothers Ambrosius Francken I and Frans Francken I, he ranks among the most important painters of altarpieces in Antwerp during the 1590s. Due, in part, to the Counter-Reformation, there was a renewed demand for altarpieces to replace those lost during iconoclastic riots in 1566 or the reformist movement of 1581. 

Marten de Vos was also a prolific draughtsman, especially during the first half of the 1580s, when the Calvinists were in power in Antwerp. During this period he provided numerous designs for print publishers. A total of some 1600 prints were produced after designs by de Vos. De Vos's drawings have been praised for their lively, industrious and generally positive character, frequently with romantic Italianate landscapes in the background. His obvious proficiency is counterbalanced, however, by a degree of routine formularization. More on Marten de Vos

Young Mark was always associated with the Lord, who choose him as one of the seventy. He is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures in a number of events related with the Lord. For example, he was present at the wedding of Cana of Galilee, and was the man who had been carrying the jar when the two disciples went to prepare a place for the celebration of the Passover. As Church Tradition relates, on the night that Christ was betrayed he followed after Him, wrapped only in a linen cloth. He was seized by soldiers, and fled away naked, leaving the cloth behind. 

Pavel Petrovich Popov 

Judas betrays Christ with a kiss

Pavel Petrovich Popov took up painting at the age of twenty-four. It was preceded by service in the navy and work at Lenin Komsomol Automobile Plant in Moscow. Following an old Soviet custom, the Lenin Komsomol Automobile Plant had a fine collection of still-life and plaster works; there were plaster busts there, as in a specialized college. The teacher was Afanasy Evstafievich Sukhinin. 

Popov entered the Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, at the former legendary School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, built by the architect Vasily Bazhenov in 1790. He did this first history painting in his second year at the Academy. It was called, Joseph Tells His Dreams to His Brothers. More on Pavel Petrovich Popov

Il Pordenone, (1484–1539) Blue pencil.svg wikidata: Q983352

Il Pordenone - San Marco, c. 1535

Oil on panel

72 x 74.5 cm

Fine Arts Museum - Budapest

Pordenone, Il Pordenone in Italian, is the byname of Giovanni Antonio de’ Sacchis (c. 1484–1539), an Italian Mannerist painter, loosely of the Venetian school. He painted in several cities in northern Italy "with speed, vigor, and deliberate coarseness of expression and execution—intended to shock. 

He visited Rome, and learnt from its High Renaissance masterpieces, but lacked a good training in anatomical drawing. Like Polidoro da Caravaggio, he was one of the artists often commissioned to paint the exteriors of buildings; of such work at most a shadow survives after centuries of weather. Michelangelo is said to have approved of one palace facade in 1527; it is now only known from a preparatory drawing. Much of his work was lost when the Doge's Palace in Venice was largely destroyed by fires in 1574 and 1577. A number of fresco cycles survive.

His life was as energetic and restless as his art; he married three times, and was accused in court of hiring criminals to kill his brother to avoid sharing their inheritance. He perhaps had some influence on later works by Titian and more clearly on Tintoretto, who to some extent took over his position as the leading painter of large mural commissions in Venice. Titian and Pordenone were rivals in his last decade and gossip even claimed that his death was suspicious. More on Pordenone

Once a lion and lioness appeared to John Mark and his father Arostalis while they were traveling in Jordan. The father was very scared and begged his son to escape, while he awaited his fate. John Mark assured his father that Jesus Christ would save them and began to pray. The two beasts fell dead and as a result of this miracle, the father believed in Christ.

At first, St. Mark accompanied St. Peter on his missionary journeys inside Jerusalem and Judea. Then he accompanied St. Paul and St. Barnabas on their first missionary journey to Antioch, Cyprus and Asia Minor.  Later St. Paul needed St. Mark with him and they both preached in Colosse, Rome and perhaps in Venice.

After planting the seeds of faith and performing many miracles in Rome,he traveled to Egypt, tand then entered Alexandria from its eastern gate in 61 A.D.

Emmanuel Tzanes, (1610–1690)

St Mark the Evangelist, c. 1657

Icon

Height: 660 mm (25.98 in); Width: 541 mm (21.29 in)

Benaki Museum , Athens

Emmanuel Tzanes (1610 – 28 March 1690), also known as Buniales,  was a Greek Renaissance painter.


He was born in Crete and migrated to Venice where he did most of his work. He was one of the most respected Greek painters of his day. Tzanes was a member of the Cretan School and contemporary of another Cretan painter of Venice, Theodore Poulakis. More on Emmanuel Tzanes 

Saint Mark was the writer of the Gospel of Mark

Attributed to Pasquale Ottini  (–1630)

Saint Mark Writing from the Mouth of Saint Peter, c. 17th century

Oil on canvas

Height: 243 cm (95.6 in); Width: 169 cm (66.5 in)

Bordeaux Beaux-arts museum

Pasquale Ottino or Ottini (1578 in Verona – 1630 in Verona), was an Italian painter. 

Ottino was a pupil, alongside Alessandro Turchi, in the studio of Felice Brusasorci. After the master's death in 1605, he completed alongside Turchi the large canvas depicting Fall of Manna in the church of San Giorgio in Braida in Verona, left unfinished on the master’s death in 1605. His early works attest to the decidedly Mannerist character of the initial phase of his career. The sources indicate fairly constant activity in his hometown, even though there are still some doubts as to the reconstruction of his artistic career, especially incongruities regarding a trip to Rome that may have taken place with his companions Turchi and Marcantonio Bassetti around 1615. He died of plague in Verona in 1630. More on Pasquale Ottini 

On his arrival St. Mark began to preach to the hungry ears of his converts. The spread of Christianity must have been quite remarkable because pagans were furious and ought St. Mark everywhere. Smelling the danger, he left Alexandria to Berce, then to Rome, where he met St. Peter and St. Paul and remained there until their martyrdom in 64 A.D.

Upon returning to Alexandria in 65 AD, St. Mark found his people firm in faith and thus decided to visit Pentapolis. There, he spent two years preaching and performing miracles, ordaining bishops and priests, and winning more converts.

Gentile Bellini and Giovanni Bellini

Saint Mark Preaching in Alexandria, c. 1507

Oil on anvas

3.47 m × 7.70 m (137 in × 303 in)

Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan, Italy 

Gentile da Fabriano (c. 1370 – 1427) was an Italian painter known for his participation in the International Gothic painter style. He worked in various places in central Italy, mostly in Tuscany. By around 1405, Gentile da Fabriano was working in Venice. He painted a panel for the church of Santa Sofia, now lost; Jacopo Bellini worked perhaps in his workshop. Between 1408 and 1409, he painted a fresco (now lost) in the Doge's Palace depicting the naval battle between the Venetians and Otto III. In Venice he knew Pisanello and perhaps Michelino da Besozzo.

On 6 August 1420 he was in Florence, where he painted his famous altarpiece depicting the Adoration of the Magi (1423), now in the Uffizi and regarded as one of the masterpieces of the International Gothic style. His other works in Florence include the Quaratesi Polyptych (May 1425). In June–August 1425 he was in Siena, where he painted a Madonna with Child, now lost, for the Palazzo dei Notai on Piazza del Campo. Until October he was in Orvieto, where he painted his fresco of the Madonna and Child in the Cathedral. In 1427 he arrived in Rome, commissioned by Pope Martin V the decoration of the nave of the Basilica of St. John in Lateran, which was completed by Pisanello after his death.

Gentile is known to have died before 14 October 1427. He is commonly said to have been buried in the church now called S. Francesca Romana in Florence, but his tomb vanished; there is evidence, however, that he may be buried in the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, in Rome, the place of his death. More on Gentile da Fabriano

The work is a huge canvas (telero) destined for the Scuola Grande di San Marco in Venice. It is 26m in surface, and has rich narrative and iconographic features. The cycle of paintings with stories of the life of St Mark was completed around 60 years later by Giorgione and Tintoretto. More on this painting

Jacopo Tintoretto

Saint Mark Saving a Saracen from Shipwreck, c. 1562-66

Oil on canvas

398 x 337 cm.

Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

Find in fo on Jacopo Tintoretto below 

The painting illustrates an episode in the Golden Legend's account of St. Mark's miracles. A Saracen sailor, cast adrift in a storm, prays to St. Mark for deliverance, promising that he will convert if rescued. Thereupon "a man all shining appeared to him, which took him out of the water and remitted him again into the ship." More on this painting

Finally he returned to Alexandria and was overjoyed to find that Christians had multiplied so much that they were able to build a considerable church in the suburban district of Baucalis.

In the year 68 AD, Easter fell on the same day as the Serapis feast. The furious heathen mob had gathered in the Serapis temple at Alexandria and then descended on the Christians who were celebrating the Resurrection at Baucalis. St. Mark was seized, dragged with a rope through the main streets of the city. At nightfall the saint was thrown into prison, where he was cheered by the vision of an angel, strengthening him. When the angel disappeared, St. Mark thanked God for sending His angel to him.

Artist unknown

The Martyrdom of Saint Mark

Musée Condé, Chantilly.

On the following morning probably during the triumphal procession of Serapis he was again dragged around the city till death. His bloody flesh was torn, and it was their intention to cremate his remains, but the wind blew and the rain fell in torrents and the populaces disperse. Christians stole his body and secretly buried him in a grave that they had engraved on a rock under the altar of the church. More on St. Mark

Jacopo Tintoretto  (–1594)

St Mark's Body Brought to Venice, between 1562 and 1566

Oil on canvas

Height: 398 cm (13 ft); Width: 315 cm (10.3 ft)

Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

Tintoretto; born Jacopo Comin, (October, 1518 – May 31, 1594) was an Italian painter and a notable exponent of the Renaissance school. For his phenomenal energy in painting he was termed Il Furioso. His work is characterized by its muscular figures, dramatic gestures, and bold use of perspective in the Mannerist style, while maintaining color and light typical of the Venetian School.

In his youth, Tintoretto was also known as Jacopo Robusti as his father had defended the gates of Padua in a way that others called robust, against the imperial troops during the War of the League of Cambrai (1509–1516). His real name "Comin" has only recently been discovered by Miguel Falomir, the curator of the Museo del Prado, Madrid, and was made public on the occasion of the retrospective of Tintoretto at the Prado in 2007. More on Tintoretto

Unknown artist

The Stealing of St. Mark's Body

Chapel of San Clemente, Basilica of San Marco, 12th century

Mark's relics were allegedly stolen by two sailors in 828 and taken to Venice The local religious and civic authorities quickly elected St. Mark as Venice's patron saint, and the apostle's traditional symbol--a winged lion--became the logo of the Venetian Republic. The Byzantine Basilica of St. Mark  was built t to house the relics. There is a mosaic on this Venetian basilica showing how the sailors covered the body relics with a layer of pork. Since Muslims are not allowed to touch pork, Mark's porkification was done to prevent Muslim intervention in the relics removal. More on the stealing of the bosy of St Mark

Unknow artist

Smuggling the ashes of St. Mark depicted on the mosaic of St. Mark's Church in Venice

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, and 365 Saints, 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.