On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P02252
- Author
- Lorraine, Claude (French)
- Title
- The Burial of Saint Seraphia
- Chronology
- 1639-1640
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 212 cm x 145 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- Yes
- Entrance
- COLECCION REAL
- Procedence
- Royal Collection
A landscape with ruins evoking the
city of Rome, where Saint Seraphia
was buried in the second century
A.D.
Saint Seraphia was a Christian
virgin and martyr born in Antioch,
Syria, during the reign of Emperor
Hadrian. She was persecuted fdor
her beliefs and was twice saved
from the martyrdom ordered by the
Roman prefect, Berilus. Finally,
she was whipped and decapitated.
The scene depicted by Lorraine
shows the moment when the saint is
buried by Saint Sabine in her own
tomb at the Piazza de Vincidiano in
Rome.
The top of the sarcophagus bears
the motto: SEPULTURA-S-SABIN.
SEPELIRI. IVBET SANCTE
SERAPE.
This work was sent to the landscape
gallery at the Buen Retiro Palace
of Felipe IV (1605-1665) and is a
companion to Landscape with Moses
saved from the waters of the Nile
(P2253), The Archangel Raphael and
Tobias (P2255) and Landscape with
the Embarkation of Saint Paula
Romana at Ostia (P2254), which are
also in the Prado Museum
Collection.
Location on the map
