Lot 1066 Dα

The present work is a smaller version of a detail from Backer's depiction of Saint Stephen (ca. 1632/33) in a private collection. The almost childlike features betray the extreme youth of the saint, who is here clothed in a dalmatic. This kind of robe is worn by deacons and is typically decorated with braids to the sleeves and a further two braids extending down the front from the shoulders, connected by a horizontal band. In the larger version of the work we see that the youth also carries stones under his arm, and this attribute together with the clothing allow us to identify the figure as Saint Stephen. Stephen was the first of seven deacons of the first Christian congregation in Jerusalem, and was later martyred by stoning. The broad style of painting and the stocky build of this figure and that of the piece in a private collection is reminiscent of Ruben's figural style.