Santo Stefano
1474-1485
Hans Memling, a master of the Northern Renaissance, captures Saint Stephen looking surprisingly calm while holding the very rock that would soon end his life. As the first Christian martyr, his story ends with a public stoning, which the artist cleverly depicts in the background—you can spot a crowd throwing rocks at a figure near the city walls. Dressed in ornate, gold-trimmed robes, Stephen seems almost oblivious to his fate, gazing off into the distance while a tiny divine figure watches from the sky. He's also the patron saint of stonemasons, making this heavy accessory incredibly fitting!
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