Oil painting Protestant Reformers
Object number
LDSAL1300
Artist/Designer/Maker
Unknown artist - Artist
Production date
c. 1660
Production place
London
Material
oil paint
canvas (paint canvas)
canvas (paint canvas)
Dimensions
height: 953mm
width: 1778mm
width: 1778mm
Location
Burlington House - lift lobby
Content description
This allegorical painting shows some of the leading figures of the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth-century in an imaginary gathering, centred around Martin Luther. The figures are grouped around a table in front of a burning candle. With the exception of Luther, whose name is across the open book in which he is writing, the names of the individuals are written above their heads or on the table top. LUTHER sits at the centre of the table with an open book on the table top in front of him. Luther is flanked by his contemporaries P. MELANCTON and CALVIN, who turns his back on Luther to address T. BEZA. Along the sides of the table are their predecessors, I. HUS and WICKLIF. The group standing behind the seated figures, starting from the second on the left, are BVLINGER, ZANCHI, KNOX, ZVIGLIVS, P. MIRTER (for Martyr), BVCER, PRAVGE and PERKINS. Below Perkins are two figures with no names. At the far ends are B[ishop USHER to the left and B[ishop] CRANMER to the right.
On the table, to the left of the candle, are the words: THE. CANDEL IS. LIGHTED. In the foreground, four figures try to extinguish the candle, but find that WE CANNOT BLOW. IT. OVT. The foreground figures represent the Roman Catholic Church and consist of a Cardinal, a 'papal bull', a pope and a monk holding a holy water sprinkler.
On the table, to the left of the candle, are the words: THE. CANDEL IS. LIGHTED. In the foreground, four figures try to extinguish the candle, but find that WE CANNOT BLOW. IT. OVT. The foreground figures represent the Roman Catholic Church and consist of a Cardinal, a 'papal bull', a pope and a monk holding a holy water sprinkler.
Oil on canvas painting; allegorical painting showing some of the leading figures of the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth-century in an imaginary gathering.