SCUOLA ITALIANA 17 SECOLO

ITALIAN SCHOOL 17TH CENTURY SAINT AGNES WITH LAMB AND FLOWER CROWN Oil on canvas 67 x 56 cm / 26.4 x 22 inches This 17th-century Italian work depicts Saint Agnes in a simple manner with a carefully studied composition. She is depicted holding a lamb in her lap, a central element of her iconography, which symbolizes both her personal innocence and the spiritual purity for which she is venerated. A crown adorns her head, a sign of the triumph of her unwavering faith and the honor conferred upon her as a martyr. A well-known passage from the Golden Legend reads: "At the tender age of twelve, St. Agnes shone with a beauty and purity that defied worldly corruption... In this resolute stance, she embraced martyrdom, her sacrifice a lasting testimony to divine chastity." According to ecclesiastical tradition, Saint Agnes came from a noble Roman family and suffered martyrdom around 304 AD during the persecutions under Diocletian. The association with the lamb is not accidental: her name (Agnes) recalls the Latin term agnus ("lamb"), thus reinforcing her image as an emblem of purity and voluntary sacrifice. Furthermore, she is frequently represented with a sword, a symbol of her execution, and with a palm, traditionally a sign of martyrdom. The crown she wears on her head is a clear sign of victory over earthly temptations and exaltation within the Church as a paradigm of divine chastity. In the 17th century, the subject of Saint Agnes enjoyed considerable popularity in Florentine painting. Artists of that era were particularly attracted by the contrast between her youthful appearance and her firm religiosity, an approach that responded to contemporary tastes, oriented towards intense emotional expressiveness and marked piety. Consequently, the image of Saint Agnes – complete with the lamb and crown – became a recurring motif in Florentine studios, reflecting the high appreciation for unwavering faith and virtuous conduct.