image of a young man with a halo and bobbed blonde hair wearing a red tunic and blue leggings riding a white horse; man also wears an oversized red cloak with a grey lining which he extends to cover the shoulders of a man in white loincloth with brown hair and beard and worn white headscarf, walking behind horse; young man extends sword back toward walking man

Saint Martin and the Beggar, c. 1375-85

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On View in Gallery 343expand_more

This newly discovered panel painting was a compartment of a larger Spanish Gothic altarpiece. It was made in the flourishing workshop of the brothers Jaume and Pere Serra in Barcelona. It represents Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours (c. 315–397), who as a young man had served in the Roman army in Gaul. One cold winter night, he came upon a man bare and shivering, and he cut his cloak in half to share it. After this act of charity, Christ appeared to Martin in a dream—wearing the cloak—and said, "What thou hast done for that poor man, thou hast done for me."

The painting’s monumental scale, refined coloring, and expressive figures reflect the influence of Italian painting, particularly Sienese painting, of which a number of examples are displayed nearby.

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Details
Title
Saint Martin and the Beggar
Artist Life
Spanish (Barcelona), active 1358–1390
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2020.78
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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image of a young man with a halo and bobbed blonde hair wearing a red tunic and blue leggings riding a white horse; man also wears an oversized red cloak with a grey lining which he extends to cover the shoulders of a man in white loincloth with brown hair and beard and worn white headscarf, walking behind horse; young man extends sword back toward walking man