3-035-471 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

The Martyrdom of Saint Andrew, 1646-1647. Arms thrown wide, Saint Andrew implores the heavens above while soldiers tie him to a cross in the shape of an X. His executioner, the Roman governor Egeas, watches from a classical porch above, and confusion reigns as soldiers try to push back the surging crowd. Charles Le Brun heightened the emotion of the figures by contrasting the stern, silent figure of the emperor with the chaos below. He used gesture, facial expressions, and strong colours to create a dynamic composition in the theatrical Roman setting.