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515 - Saint Agnes – Italian Master – 18th century Oil on relined c…
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Estimate €5,500 - €9,000
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Description
Saint Agnes – Italian Master – 18th century Oil on relined canvas. Measures 92 x 76 cm. An elegant devotional depiction of Saint Agnes, shown in half-length, delicately holding a white lamb, an iconographic attribute associated with the saint’s purity, innocence and martyrdom. The figure is draped in rich fabric in shades of ochre, gold and blue, arranged in ample folds with a pronounced sculptural quality, whilst her idealised face, serenely beautiful, gazes at the animal in an attitude of intimate spiritual contemplation. The composition unfolds against a dark background that intensifies the effect of contemplation and highlights the softness of the flesh tones and the luminous whiteness of the lamb. A side light, clearly influenced by tenebrist painting, falls on the main elements of the scene, modelling the volumes through delicate gradations of light and creating a refined contrast between light and shadow. The technical quality is evident in the subtlety of the drawing, the delicate transition of tones, and the treatment of textures, from the smoothness of the skin to the softness of the animal’s fleece. The work belongs to the 18th-century Italian devotional tradition, building on the Baroque models developed during the preceding centuries, in which religious emotion is expressed through idealised beauty and an atmosphere of intense spirituality. The lamb refers both to the folk etymology of the saint’s name and to the miraculous vision associated with her cult, becoming a symbol of chastity, sacrifice and Christian fidelity. The compositional harmony, the nobility of the forms, and the restrained intensity of the expression lend the painting a remarkable devotional power and outstanding artistic quality within the Italian religious art of the period. 92 x 76 cm.
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About the sale GRAND SUMMER AUCTION OF HAUTE ÉPOQUE AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Auction location
Auction time 06/29/2026 at 4:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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