Saint Rosalia The Hermit – Ancient Sicilian Oil Painting On Metal – 18th/19th Century

A painting depicting Saint Rosalia the Hermit, patron saint of the city of Palermo, executed in oil on tin and dating presumably from between the late 18th century and the first half of the 19th century.

The saint is depicted with a gentle, contemplative expression, her hands clasped over her chest in a gesture of devotion, in accordance with traditional Sicilian religious iconography.

Of particular interest is the Latin inscription painted directly on the support, which reproduces the famous saying attributed to Saint Rosalia, linked to her hermitic retreat in the Quisquina Cave:

“Ego Rosalia Sinibaldi Quisquinae et Rosarum Domini filia, amore Domini mei Jesu Christi, in hoc antro habitare decrevi.”

Translation:

“I, Rosalia, daughter of Sinibaldo, lord of Quisquina and of the Mount of Roses, out of love for my Lord Jesus Christ, decided to dwell in this cave.”

The inscription is a significant historical and iconographic element, directly evoking the tradition of the cult of Saint Rosalia, which is deeply rooted in Sicilian religious culture.