\paperw19995 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 This picture was painted for the altar dedicated to the saint in St. PeterÆs Basilica in the Vatican during the papacy of Ur
ban VIII Barberini. The choice of subject is connected with the relics of the martyr, which are conserved inside the altar itself. The dramatic theme induced Poussin to abandon his usually restrained style in order to produce a composition filled with pa