Italian
Saint Dominic, Saint Agatha, and the Virgin Mary, 18th century
Oil on copper in wood frame, 21 x 32.4 cm (8 1/4 x 12 3/4 in.)
This piece is made up of three oval oil paintings each framed in copper and shown together in a wooden frame. The leftmost painting depicts Saint Dominic: a man with fair skin, dark hair, and wearing a black top with a white collar. He is seated in three-quarters profile to the right and holding a small crucifix within the frame. The center painting is of Saint Agatha who is seated also in a three-quarters profile to the left. She has long wavy brown hair and is wearing a golden diadem and a blue robe. Her right hand holds a platter towards the viewer on which is a pair of breasts. The rightmost painting is of the Virgin Mary who looks upwards at the sky. She has a very fair, smooth complexion and is surrounded by a large, golden radiating halo. She wears a bejeweled crown on her head and a blue robe with a darker top underneath.
Vatichino
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.