Terms and conditions of use
Saint Lawrence distributing the treasures of the Church to the poor
(1615-1620)
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
112.0 × 152.5 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1934
Gallery location
16th & 17th Century Gallery - Painting and Sculpture
Mezzanine linked to Level 1, NGV International
About this work
An early deacon of the Church in Rome, Saint Lawrence was responsible for its wealth and allocation of alms to the poor. When the prefect of Rome ordered him to hand over the treasures, Lawrence distributed them to poor people, widows and consecrated virgins, after which he presented the Christian recipients of his charity to the prefect, calling them the Church’s ‘treasures’ and ‘crown’. The gesture so angered the pagan Roman Emperor Valerian that Lawrence was burned to death upon a grille in 258.
Artwork Details
Accession Number
219-4
Department
International Painting
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Subjects (general)
Human Figures Relationships and Interactions Religion and Mythology
Subjects (specific)
alms (gifts) charity (philosophical concept) Lawrence, Saint (Christian character) poor (people) thuribles