Saint Christine Martyr, French School, 17th Century

Effigy of Saint ChristineThe Eastern Churches commemorate Saint Christine of Tyre, a martyr whose existence is just as doubtful as that of Saint Christine of Rome, who died a martyr near Lake Bolsena in Tuscany and whose memory is also remembered by the Western Church today. The "Acts" of their martyrdom are legendary. Christine of Tyre suffered terrifying tortures from which she always emerged unharmed and smiling, until her heart was pierced with a lance. Christine of Rome was pierced with arrows. In any case, there were many Christines, Christian women, who gave their lives to Christ during the first centuries of the Church, so that two saints who existed but whose life episodes are unknown are neglected. The work is an oil on canvas (original as well as the stretcher), it has undergone a lightening of varnish and some old restorations but no perforation of the canvas. The pictorial layer is very cracked but without lifting of material. We can read at the top left: "St vierge" and at the top right: "St Christine martir"