STONING OF SAINT STEPHEN. The apostles perceiving the number of christians increase, and desiring not to have their attention withdrawn from preaching, required the believers to select seven persons of eminent probity and wisdom, who should be charged with the distribution of alms and superintendence of the tables. Stephen, one of them, was distinguished by his virtues and eloquence, which created him envious accusers before the ancients and scribes. The manner in which he defended himself irritated the people to the highest degree : « But Stephen, being full of the holy ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and they stoned him. » Le Brun, in this picture, ably displays St Stephen victim of the populace, one party of which appears furious, and the other though not approving such extreme cruelty, yet not disposed to defend the unfortunate martyr. This picture has been engraved by Gerard Audran. ÉCOLE FRANÇAISE. oooooooo LE BRUN. 00000000 MUSÉE FRANÇAIS. LAPIDATION DE SAINT ÉTIENNE. Les apôtres voyant augmenter le nombre des chrétiens, et voulant ne pas être détournés de la prédication, demandèrent aux fidèles de choisir sept personnes d'une probité et d'une sagesse reconnues, qui seraient chargées de la distribution des aumônes et du soin des tables. Étienne, l'un d'eux, se distingua par ses vertus et par son éloquence, ce qui lui suscita des envieux et des accusateurs auprès des anciens et des scribes. La manière dont il se défendit irrita le peuple à un point extrême. « Mais Étienne étant rempli du saint esprit, et levant les yeux au ciel, vit la gloire de Dieu et Jésus qui était debout à sa droite; il dit: Je vois les cieux ouverts, et le fils de l'homme qui est debout à la droite de Dieu. Alors les Juifs poussant de grands cris, et se bouchant les oreilles, se jetèrent sur lui tous ensemble, et ils le lapidèrent. » Le Brun, dans ce tableau, nous fait bien voir saint Étienne victime de la populace, dont une partie se montre furieuse, et dont l'autre, tout en n'approuvant pas de semblahles excès, ne paraît pas disposée à défendre le malheureux martyr. Ce tableau a été gravé par Gérard Audran. Haut., 12 pieds 2 pouces; larg., 9 pieds 4 pouces. FLIGHT OF CAIN. Cain, having through jealously slain his brother Abel, sought to withdraw himself from the sight of God with the hope of concealing his crime from him. But « the Lord said unto Cain : What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground; and now thou art cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy and. When thou tillest the ground if shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the Lord : My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass that whosoever findeth me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him: Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived and bare Enoch. » M. Paulin Guerin, in this picture, has ably rendered the wild and haggard mood of a murderer, who is apprehensive for his own life, though he did not hesitate taking away that of another. This picture has been done in lithography by M. Belliard. Breadth, 12 feet 9 inch; height, 9 feet 7 inches. |