The Martyrdom of Saint Adrian; The Martyrdom of Two Saints, Possibly Ache and Acheul

Northern French Painter

Date unknown · Oil on canvas, transferred from wood · European Paintings

In the left panel Saint Adrian, an officer in the Roman army who converted to Christianity, is martyred as Emperor Maximilian and Adrian's fellow officers look on. The panel on the right probably depicts the martyrdom of the brothers Ache and Acheul, who, according to their legend, were martyred at Amiens with wooden swords for refusing to sacrifice to the gods. These pictures were part of an altarpiece from the Augustinian abbey of Eaucourt, Arras, where Ache and Acheul were particularly venerated. They reflect the style of Simon Marmion, the leading painter of northern France in the second half of the fifteenth century, and that of the Netherlander Dieric Bouts. On the basis of the costumes, they can be dated about 1480. There are serious paint losses in both pictures.

Artist

Northern French Painter

Date

Date unknown

Medium

Oil on canvas, transferred from wood

Department

European Paintings

Credit line

The Bequest of Michael Dreicer, 1921