The Exaltation of Saint Oswald

Antonio Balestra was born in Verona but was mainly active in Venice. He is best known as a teacher of Tiepolo. This oil sketch on paper is a preliminary study for The Glorification of St Oswald in the Venetian church of San Stae (St Eustatius). Related drawings can be found in the British Museum and the museums of Stockholm and…

Antonio Balestra was born in Verona but was mainly active in Venice. He is best known as a teacher of Tiepolo. This oil sketch on paper is a preliminary study for The Glorification of St Oswald in the Venetian church of San Stae (St Eustatius). Related drawings can be found in the British Museum and the museums of Stockholm and Milan. St Oswald was king of Northumbria in the seventh century. After converting to Christianity, he founded the monastery of Lindisfarne, which played an important role in the spread of the Christian faith. Because he was killed during the struggle against the last ‘pagan’ kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons, he was venerated as a saint after his death. Scottish monks later introduced the cult of Saint Oswald to the Alps and to northern Italy.