Martyrdom of the Seven Maccabee Brothers and Their Mother

Dirck Vellert

ca. 1530–35 · Stained glass · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

The Old Testament tells the horrific story of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes murdering a Jewish family for their refusal to eat pork, a narrative of religious persecution that would have resonated with many groups in sixteenth-century Northern Europe. In his rendering, celebrated Antwerp artist Vellert relegated the gruesome subject matter to the background while showcasing his mastery of figural narrative and technical dexterity in stained glass. Vellert’s windows were once found in the cities Mechelen, Lübeck, and Antwerp, but most documented examples have been destroyed.

Artist

Dirck Vellert

Date

ca. 1530–35

Medium

Stained glass

Culture

Flemish, Antwerp

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Mr. and Mrs. Isaac D. Fletcher Collection, Bequest of Isaac D. Fletcher, 1917