Lawrence of Rome (about 225–258 CE) was one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome martyred in 258 CE, and became one of the most widely venerated saints during the Middle Ages. According to tradition, he met his martyrdom by being roasted on a gridiron, an attribute which he either holds or stands upon in art. (See a depiction of him by Tilman Riemenschneider nearby in this gallery.) Lawrence is always portrayed as a young man wearing the deacon’s dalmatic. The original source and context of this sculpture is not known. Since it is not carved in the round, it was likely placed within the niche of a large altarpiece.