Saint John the Evangelist poisoned

This religious painting from 1430 by Bernat Martorell reflects the enduring importance of religious painting in the Early Renaissance. Bernat Martorell brings distinctive artistic vision to the sacred narrative, creating a work that served both devotional and artistic purposes in fifteenth-century Spanish (Catalan) culture. Created during the first decades of the fifteenth century, the work belongs to a period when International Gothic elegance was giving way to the naturalistic impulses that would define the Renaissance.

Bernat Martorell employs skilled technique and careful observation to convey the spiritual gravity of the subject. The treatment of the figures shows careful study of earlier masters, while the palette and lighting create the devotional atmosphere the subject demands.