St. Barbara

Dressed in rich robes and jewels, surrounded by a radiant halo and ornate patterns, Saint Barbara appears here as a young woman of serene beauty. Though the painting resembles traditional Orthodox icons in form, the realistic approach to the figure borrows more from the Renaissance style of Western Europe. A work of great delicacy and refinement, it was surely commissioned for a discriminating patron. The saint glows with an aura of timeless spiritual calm, which has a benevolent effect on all who see her.