Artwork
Die Heilige Agnes erweckt Licinius
Die Heilige Agnes erweckt Licinius is an unspecified painting by Domenico Tintoretto. It dates from 1607 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
The composition gathers several attendants whose gazes and gestures focus on the woman, suggesting her authority within the depicted episode.
Domenico Tintoretto’s oil painting, dated around 1607, depicts a narrative scene centered on a regal female figure seated upon a throne. The composition gathers several attendants whose gazes and gestures focus on the woman, suggesting her authority within the depicted episode. The work is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, where it is displayed among other Venetian Baroque pieces.
Subject & Meaning
The title, translating to “Saint Agnes Awakens Licinius,” indicates a legendary or hagiographic moment in which the martyr Saint Agnes is shown reviving the Roman official Licinius. The visual emphasis on the saint’s crown and robes underscores her sanctified status, while the surrounding figures convey the drama of the miraculous intervention.
Technique & Style
Tintoretto employs a rich palette and meticulous attention to textile detail, rendering the fabrics with varied textures and intricate patterns. The composition balances chiaroscuro with vibrant coloration, characteristic of early 17th‑century Venetian painting, and the figures are modeled with a fluid, dynamic brushwork that conveys movement and emotional intensity.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1607, the painting entered the Gemäldegalerie Berlin’s holdings through acquisition in the early 20th century, reflecting the museum’s focus on expanding its Baroque collection. Documentation traces its provenance to private collections in Venice before its transfer to the German institution, where it remains part of the permanent display.
Context
Domenico Tintoretto, son of the famed Jacopo Tintoretto, continued his father’s workshop traditions while adapting to the evolving tastes of the Counter‑Reformation. This work aligns with contemporary commissions that emphasized saintly narratives intended to inspire piety, and it demonstrates the continued demand for dramatic religious subjects in Venetian art of the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Domenico Robusti, also known as Domenico Tintoretto, was an Italian painter from Venice. He grew up under the tutelage of his father, the renowned painter Jacopo Tintoretto.
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