I purchased this painting from a seller in Spain, who consistently has wonderful things--18th century Spanish I believe, oil on wood, framed as found. The subject is Santa Rita (born Margherita Ferri Lotti; 1381- May, 22 1457), Italian widow and Augustinian nun, known as a saint of lost and impossible causes, and marital problems, having endured and apparently has some success in converting a very abusive husband into a better person. She is often portrayed with a bleeding wound on her forehead--evident here upon close inspection, which is understood to indicate a partial stigmata--as well as holding a large cross and a flagellum whip, both as here, the latter a symbol of her mortification of the flash.
This painting is dark and moody and very mystical feeling (and difficult to photograph well); it is of the sort one would very much like to see lit by candlelight, flames illuminating it from below. (A sunbeam hitting her face would also be nice!) I removed it from the frame, where it has clearly lived a long time, to examine it more closely-one can see the painting is somewhat lighter around the edges where it was protected by the frame, and so, if desired, it would clearly brighten with cleaning. I would just leave her as is myself, but I like dark and full of aura!
20 13/16" x 15 1/4" framed. Painting itself on wood panel measures 11 7/8" x 9 1/2". Could be cleaned as noted, but otherwise in good condition with no evident paint loss at all.
