Yes, "I'm done on this side, you can turn me over now." Now why would a man say something that would be more suitable for a soon to be well done steak?
Only because he was being grilled alive. And you thought crucifixion was terrible.
Naturally, Art about saint Lawrence is terribly interesting.
St. Lawrence in Tomb of Galla Placidia, Ravena
Naturally, St. Lawrence loves books. So much he has a book case full of them! And, he is not terribly afraid of getting them close to that roaring fire. Also, is that fire not the most beautiful fire ever? Look at the way it curls and the beautiful colors. From yellow to deep red to purple and blue. Very naturalistic. And can you imagine being in a small space, looking at this beautiful glass mosaic and seeing the light from your single candle move and make Lawrence's flames dance? Wow.
Poor St. Lawrence indeed.
After this mosaic, St. Lawrence is almost always depicted with his grate looking like every other saint ever does, that is until Donatello. Though, if I was grilled alive, I would sincerely wish heaven was a vegetarian zone and would not go anywhere near grills again.
Donatello's Martyrdom of St. Lawrence Pulpit at St Lorenzo Florence
1000 years later and we get this work by Donatello, and Lawrence is being placed on the grill. He doesn't appear to be the same selfless, pain loving, martyr here. He looks either, dead, if we assume he is the first man on the grate. Or, trying not to be dead. As in the second man.
Detail
Or, as what normally happened in medieval images, the second guy is Lawrence alive. The closer one is him dead. But, Donatello tried to escape medieval conventions with his perspective so it is doubtful he might have tried the, I'm going to make a crazy scene where the same person appears twenty times.
Like the Cupid and Psyche panels I just did a paper on.
Cupid and Psyche Panel, by Master of the Argonauts at Bode Museum Berlin
But, what if that person is burning alive? Wouldn't it be assumed that they did in fact have clothing on that it would be burnt off the flesh?
Its always fun to look at the unapparent genius of artists. Especially ones like Donatello that don't settle for the inhuman body baking on the grill, or the simple saint standing with his beloved grill (Preying god will give up his love of steak).
I also find it interesting that this imagery, of his burning body on the grate, didn't turn up earlier. Usually if he is on the grate, he is passive. But this imagery, looking so struck and hurt, and full of pain, comes up at a time of prosperity, wealth, and for christ sake its the Renaissance. Everyone should be happy, right? No, I guess not.
Especially since guys like Savanderola were burning everything they could get their hands on. But, thats another story.
