In the mid-19th century, following the completion of restoration work at St Roch's Church in Paris, the city authorities decided to enrich its interiors with new works of art. One of the artists invited to carry out this task was the painter with Polish roots, Sebastian Norblin (1796-1884), son of Jean-Pierre Norblin, known for his classicist, monumental compositions.

History of the commission

In 1857, Norblin was commissioned to create two monumental oil paintings for the chapel dedicated to St Susanna, located in the Baroque church of St Roch. The church, designed by Jacques Lemercier, is located on the right bank of the Seine, close to the Les Halles market, and was built between 1653 and 1740. In the 18th century, renowned artists, including the painter Joseph-Marie Vien, collaborated when commissioning the original furnishings for the church. However, during the French Revolution, most of the artwork was stolen and the church itself was destroyed during the Royalist shelling by the young Napoleon Bonaparte. It was not until the 19th century that a comprehensive restoration and extension of the church was completed. As part of the completion of this work, an order was placed with Norblin.

Two canvases with scenes from the life of St. Susanna

Currently in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Paris, Norblin's oil sketch for two compositions depicts Maximian flinching at the sight of an angel protecting St Susanna and Empress Prisca covering the saint's body.

However, there is only one canvas in the St Susanna Chapel in the Church of St Roch, measuring an impressive 365 x 320 cm, depicting the scene of the 'Death of St Susanna'. Susanna, who was the niece of Pope Caius, was closely related to Emperor Diocletian. After the death of his daughter Valeria, Diocletian decided to marry Maximian Galerius to Susanna, but the young woman rejected his advances, leading to her martyrdom. The painting depicts the dramatic moment when the empress covers Susanna's body, just before an angel takes her soul to heaven. The whiteness of Susanna's robe symbolises the purity of her faith and virtue. Norblin's work, maintained in the spirit of classicism, exudes solemnity and serenity.

Norblin's works are part of the tradition of sacred painting, which not only decorated the interiors of churches, but also had an educational function, bringing the stories of the lives of the saints to the faithful. Scenes of martyrdom, such as the death of St Susanna, were a popular subject for sacred paintings, intended to remind people of the courage and strength of faith in the face of adversity. Thanks to his skills acquired during his studies in Italy and France, Norblin created an emotionally charged work that conveys both the suffering and spiritual triumph of the heroine.