Lot 2: Circle of Francis van Bossuit, Flemish (1635-1692) A 17th century ivory relief depicting the martyrdom of Saint Erasmus

the saint with his hands tied, his guts extracted from his body by two semi nude male figures using a machine, with a winged putto to the left holding a laurel wreath and a palm frond, and the Emperor Diocletian and his attendants to the right, later mounted in a dark green marble frame, the ivory 27.5cm wide x 14cm high, 39cm x 25cm overall

Saint Erasmus or Saint Elmo as he was also known, was a bishop of Formiae in the Campagna, Italy. He was martyred under the Emperor Diocletian who ordered that his intestines were to be drawn out by a windlass (a machine for moving heavy weights). Because of the instruments similarity to a capstan, sailors invoke him as their patron saint.