This dynamic low-relief panel, created around 1700, portrays the martyrdom of Saint Thomas, one of the apostles. Executed in a refined Baroque idiom, the relief is set within the richly decorated interior of San Gaetano, a theatine church in Florence known for its dramatic sculptural ensembles.

The composition is crowded with vigorously modelled figures. At the centre, Saint Thomas is confronted by armed assailants; one soldier raises his arm to strike, while another grips the apostle by the shoulder. Thomas, distinguished by his flowing beard and draped garments, shows both resistance and resignation as he is overwhelmed by his attackers.

To the right, a Roman soldier in plumed helmet and armour brandishes a weapon, embodying the force of imperial authority. A collapsing figure in the foreground, twisting across the relief plane, reinforces the violence and instability of the scene. At the far right, a woman clutching a child recoils in fear, expanding the emotional register beyond the martyrdom itself.

Architectural arches behind the figures create a formal backdrop, while sculpted objects—such as a vase and a partially mutilated statue on a pedestal to the left—evoke the pagan setting in which the apostle’s death traditionally takes place. The deep undercutting of drapery and the rhythm of diagonals demonstrate Baroque dramatism, emphasising movement and psychological intensity.

This relief forms part of the elaborate devotional programme of San Gaetano, where the lives of the apostles and saints are presented with theatrical energy characteristic of Florentine sculpture at the turn of the 18th century.