Spanish school; second half of the 17th century. "Saint... Lot 50

Spanish school; second half of the 17th century. "Saint Hyacinth of Poland". Oil on canvas. Relined. It presents faults, repainting and new areas of stucco. Measurements: 121 x 99 cm. Saint Hyacinth of Poland was a Polish Dominican priest and missionary who worked to reform the monasteries of women in his native Poland. He was a Doctor of Sacred Studies, educated in Paris and Bologna. Called the "Apostle of the North", while in Rome, he witnessed a miracle performed by Dominic of Osma and became a Dominican friar. In 1219, Pope Honorius III invited Dominic and his followers to settle in the ancient Roman basilica of Santa Sabina, which they did in early 1220. Tradition holds that he evangelised in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Prussia, Scotland, Russia, Turkey and Greece. One of the greatest miracles attributed to Hyacinth occurred during a Mongol attack on Kiev. As the friars were preparing to flee from the invading forces, Hyacinth went to save the ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle of the monastery chapel, when he heard the voice of Mary, the mother of Jesus, asking him to take it too. Hyacinth picked up the large stone statue of Mary, as well as the ciborium. He was easily able to carry both, despite the fact that the statue weighed much more than he could normally lift. Thus he saved them both. For this reason, he is usually shown holding a monstrance and a statue of Mary. The work is reminiscent of the painting of Vicente Carducho, who was a painter and treatise writer of Italian origin, although his artistic activity took place in Spain, specifically in the Madrid school. He was trained as a painter of frescoes and altarpieces, in which he reflected his language halfway between classicism and post-Renaissance mannerism. His first major work, the Preaching of Saint John the Baptist for the Monastery of San Francisco in Madrid, was considered a very daring piece for the time, a fact that indicates Carducho's importance in the complex history of art. Following the death of his brother Bartolomé Carducho, court painter to Philip II in Spain, Vicente was commissioned to decorate one of the galleries of the Royal Palace of El Pardo, where he painted the works depicting the exploits of Achilles.