Oil on canvas antique – Saint Agnes – Roman school, 17th century

The painting depicts a portrait of Saint Agnes, a martyr, identifiable by the palm of martyrdom she holds in her hand. An inscription appears in the upper left corner.Analysis of the work.The piece exhibits several typical characteristics of 17th-century Italian sacred painting and is associated with the Roman school.Style and origin: Paintings displaying these characteristics (the use of chiaroscuro, voluminous drapery, and the pose of the figure) are often attributed to the Italian school, and more specifically to the Roman school of the 17th century.Composition: The figure is represented from the waist up, looking either towards the viewer or slightly to the side. She is dressed in warm-coloured garments and draped in a classical manner.The painting is framed in an old ebonised and gilded wooden frame.The work has been re-canvas. Illuminated by a wooden lamp, it shows no particular pictorial restoration.