Jacopo Robusti Tintoretto:

Martyrdom of St. Lawrence
(Oil on Canvas - Guise Bequest 1765)

St Lawrence was an third-century Christian martyr who was condemned to be roasted on a gridiron for refusing to hand over the riches of the Church to the Roman authorities. The painting is a good example of Tintoretto's masterful use of chiaroscuro and oblique diagonals to create a dynamic composition. This painting, as well as The Butcher’s Shop, demonstrate the somewhat ‘macabre’ taste of its former owner, the military man and collector who left his collection to Christ Church, General Guise.