Description of the work: Valuable ancient painting, executed in oil on canvas, depicting Saint Lucy. The Saint is portrayed half-length, looking upward in an expression of devotional ecstasy, bathed in a beam of divine light coming from the upper left corner.
Iconographic and Stylistic Details:
Subject: The figure holds in his right hand a cup or tray containing his eyes, a symbol of his martyrdom and his patronage over sight. In his left hand he holds the palm, emblem of the victory of the martyrs.
Clothing and Ornament: Wear a purple robe with ochre/gold sleeves. The head is adorned with a rich garland of flowers (pink and small white flowers) woven into the dark hair, framing a face with sweet features and light skin tone. A gold hoop earring adds a detail of understated elegance.
Style: The work shows an interesting management of chiaroscuro, with a dark background that highlights the brightness of the figure and the aurea that surrounds her head. The painting technique and the rendering of the face suggest a chronological placement between the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century, probably of Italian origin.
State of Conservation: The painting appears in general condition consistent with the period. The canvas features the characteristic and widespread crquelure (plot of small natural cracks in the paint) which attests to its authenticity and antiquity. On the back you can see the original canvas mounted on a period wooden frame. There are slight signs of time that do not affect the beauty of the work, but underline its historical charm.
Frame: The work is presented within an ancient wooden frame, finely carved with leaf motifs, which completes and enhances the whole.
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SILVER Seller in La-Spezia, Italia
