Martyrdom of Saint Stephen

Author: Antonio De' Ferrari detto del Foler
Century: XVI
Date: XVI-XVII century
Position: fourth altar on the left
Method: painted panel

The altar initially dedicated to Saint Monica, decorated with a polyptych done by Antonio Vivarini, changed its title following the dismantling of the church's original altar, positioned opposite of the facade.

The architectural structure of the altar is taken from bearing the painting Madonna with the Holy Belt. The marble statues of Saint Francesco di Paola and Saint Peter of Alcantara, now disappeared, were to be initially placed on the sides of the altar.

The removal of the eighteenth century Santa Monica Polyptych altarpiece, consisting of a series of little scenes arranged in an overlapping manner to the left and right of the painted wooden statue of the Patron saint, has resulted in the disappearance of the latter and the spiltting up of the pictorial panels, that today are traceable in various collections: The Marriage of Santa Monica at the Gallerie dell'Accademia, The Birth of Saint Agostine at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, The Conversion and death of Patrick, Husband of Santa Monica at the Institute of Ars di Detroits, The Vision of Saint Monica in a private collection in Milan and The Baptism of Saint Agostine at Galleria Carrara in Bergamo.

[Italian: Altare di Santo Stefano Protomartire: Santo Stefano e Saulo giovinetto (Antonio Foler, 1733)]