Saint Daniel of Padua dragged by a horse before the Roman governor of Padua

Art Historical Context

This dramatic bronze relief, titled *Saint Daniel of Padua Dragged by a Horse Before the Roman Governor of Padua*, was created around 1740–50 by Italian sculptors Tiziano Aspetti Francesco Bertos from Padua. Measuring nearly 30 inches wide and weighing over 50 pounds, this substantial work exemplifies the Venetian-Paduan tradition of intricate bronze casting, a medium prized for its durability and ability to capture fine details in dynamic compositions. The scene depicts the martyrdom of Saint, a 4th-century bishop of Padua, viciously dragged by a horse in front of a Roman governor—a vivid portrayal of early Christian persecution. Such subjects were popular in Counter-Reformation art, emphasizing saints' endurance amid suffering to inspire faith. The tags of horses, men, saints, and suffering highlight the intense narrative, with the horse's powerful form and the saint's tormented pose evoking pathos and movement. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, this piece showcases Bertos's of Baroque-inspired drama, blending Aspetti's earlier Paduan realism with Rococo fluidity. Its acquisition via the Edith Perry Chapman and Fletcher Funds in 1970 underscores its rarity, offering visitors a tangible link to Italy's rich sculptural heritage.