The Martyrdom of Saint Pontianus

It is probable that this panel, signed in the bottom corner, belonged to the main altarpiece of the Casa Profesa (the headquarters of the Jesuit Order in México) and, given its similar theme and composition, is undoubtedly a twin to the same painters portrait of Saint Apronianus. Nonetheless, some researchers assert that it belonged to a private owner and was bought by Bernardo Couto, the then director of the old San Carlos Academy, who donated it to the latter institutions collection. The depiction of Saint Pontianus, who was not commonly depicted in neo-Hispanic religious art, carries us back to third-century Rome, where he lived and was persecuted and met a martyrs death by beating. His portrayal, which shows how he remained true to the Catholic faith in the face of suffering, presents him as a paradigm of obedience. The Mannerist style of the composition is evidenced in various features, such as the figure of the soldier in the foreground who, depicted from the knees up with his back to the viewer, displays amazing anatomical detail. The dynamism, position and disproportionate size of the executioners also typify this style. The architecture frames the scene and, though the latter is transpiring indoors, at the far end, through an archway, we can see a crowd passing by and a city through which a river —probably the Tíber— runs. Saint Pontianus is at the center of all this. The spiral-shaped composition linking the characters stands out clearly, following a trajectory that is reinforced by the axes, the arms and legs of the soldiers, the heads of the characters and the looks on their faces, and the bright focal points of the work. Previously part of the collection of the San Diego Viceregal Painting Gallery, this work passed to the MUNAL in the year 2000.