European school; 19th century. "Martyrdom of Saint". Oil... Lot 42

European school; 19th century. "Martyrdom of Saint". Oil on canvas. Re-framed. It has a 19th century frame. Measurements: 112 x 76 cm; 127 x 92 cm (frame). In this devotional scene the author places a female figure in the centre of the scene, kneeling and with a pious attitude. Behind her, completely in the shadows, a male figure holds a sword in one hand with the intention of decapitating the saint, who, despite her attitude, does not seem oblivious to what is about to happen. The scene takes place in a dark interior where the whiteness of the young novice's robes stands out, as well as the stone from which a sculpture of the Virgin is made, located on the left-hand side of the background. It is worth noting that during the 19th century the Christian religion was going through a great crisis, due to the proliferation of encyclopaedic knowledge and the development of science, which consolidated a growing atheism. The Church, following its own models of past times, decided to invest in works of art depicting saints and martyrs, symbols of popular devotion, whose figures empathised directly with a community, being more accessible and closer to the public.