Saint Daniel of Padua Nailed between Two Planks of Wood 1735 - 1755

Francesco Bertos created this bronze relief, Saint Daniel of Padua Nailed between Two Planks of Wood, sometime in the early 18th century. It presents the martyrdom of Saint Daniel, a deacon who was killed for his faith. The subject is gruesome, but the setting is palatial, framed by classical columns and garlands, and inhabited by idealized figures. Bertos was working in Venice at a time when the Republic was in decline, but the institutions of art and the church still held sway. Venice was a city built on spectacle, and Bertos's sculpture, with its dramatic subject and theatrical composition, speaks to that culture. It is a work that invites contemplation of violence and suffering, but also of power and authority. To fully understand this sculpture, we might turn to historical documents, theological treatises, and accounts of Venetian life. By situating the work within its historical context, we can begin to appreciate its complexity and its power.