St. Lucy
European Art
St. Lucy
Artwork Details
Artist/Maker
Lorenzo Costa
Italian, ca. 1460–1535
Italian, ca. 1460–1535
Date
ca. 1480s
Medium
Tempera on panel
Accession #
58.40b
Dimensions
14 7/8 x 5 1/2 inches
(FRAMED IN PAIRS)
Location
On View - Stent Family Wing, Level 2, Gallery 204
Description
St. Lucy is one of eight saints Lorenzo Costa painted in the late 1400s. The graceful figures originally flanked a central devotional image on a monumental altarpiece, likely in or near Bologna, Italy. The saints are identifiable by their attributes and their names, which are inscribed underneath them in a northern Italian dialect. Devotees used this information to find the saints who were most relevant to their personal needs.
The lamp and two large eyes that St. Lucy holds refer to various legends about her eyes being plucked out. This cue would have prompted the visually impaired to pray to her for healing.
Credit
Gift of the Samuel H. Kress FoundationCheck This Out
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