The death of Brutus

The death of Brutus was a rare classical subject in Stom’s predominantly biblical oeuvre. This late work from around 1650 shows the Roman republican’s suicide after defeat at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC. Stoic self-destruction by lamplight aligned naturally with Stom’s artistic strengths, and classical subjects were gaining popularity among Italian collectors seeking alternatives to devotional painting. Stom's biblical subjects demonstrate the enduring vitality of the Caravaggist tradition in Sicily long after it had faded elsewhere in Europe.

Torchlight illuminates Brutus’s final act with the same unflinching directness Stom brings to scenes of martyrdom. The restricted palette and tight framing concentrate all attention on the figure’s fatal resolve.