Martyrdom of a saint

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, where you'll find *Martyrdom of a* (1728), an evocative engraving by English printmaker Joseph Sympson,., after an original composition by the Italian Baroque painter Filippo La. Lauri, active in 17th-century Rome, known for his dramatic religious scenes influenced by Caravaggio's tenebrism—intense light-dark contrasts that heighten emotional intensity. This work captures the timeless Baroque fascination with martyrdom, a popular Counter-Reformation theme designed to inspire devotion through vivid depictions of suffering and faith. Sympson's engraving, measuring 19 3/4 × 14 3/8 inches, faithfully reproduces Lauri's design over three decades after the painter's death in 1698, showcasing the era's growing market for affordable reproductive prints. Engraving's meticulous technique—incising lines into a metal plate for inked impressions—allowed widespread dissemination of elite art, bridging 17th-century Italian drama with 18th-century British audiences. Acquired through The Elisha Whittelsey Collection in 1951, this print exemplifies how printmaking preserved and popularized sacred narratives, inviting viewers to reflect on endurance amid adversity.