Martyrdom of Saint Stephen

Bernardo Daddi depicted the Martyrdom of Saint Stephen around 1337, showing the first Christian martyr's death by stoning outside the gates of Jerusalem as described in the Acts of the Apostles. The subject was widely venerated in Florence, where the city's original cathedral had been dedicated to Saint Stephen, and Daddi's treatment reflects the dramatic narrative painting that flourished in the Giottesque tradition. The panel is now in the Vatican's Pinacoteca.

Painted in tempera on panel with gold ground, the composition arranges the violent stoning scene with the clarity and spatial logic characteristic of Daddi's narrative works. The figures display his typical refinement of gesture and expression, with the saint's serene acceptance contrasting with the agitated movements of his persecutors.