Two Standing Saints St Wenceslaus and St Lawrence

Panel paintings of the 15th and 16th centuries are little represented in British public collections, so this picture make an important addition to York Art Gallery’s strong holdings of European art.

St Wenceslas and a Priest Saint offers particular opportunity for the study of saints and their representation in Renaissance painting, as well as for the study of style and technique. Other items included in this bequest inlcude Diana and Actaeon by Circle of Hans Rottenhammer (16th century), which is a fine example of the representation of the nude in a mythological context during this period. Both Portrait of a Lady and Portrait of a Bearded Gentleman in the Manner of Sebastiano Mainardi enhance York Art Gallery’s notable collection of European portraiture, with rich possibilities for further research to confirm the artists, sitters and dates.