Saint Verdiana Carrying Food to the Poor c. 1711

Curator: This is Giovanni Camillo Sagrestani's depiction of Saint Verdiana Carrying Food to the Poor, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It feels immediately dramatic—that shadowy architecture looming over figures emerging from darkness. You almost feel the urgency. Curator: Sagrestani worked in Florence during a time when religious painting served both devotional and didactic purposes. Editor: Right, and you can see it. The architecture almost traps her, but that forward momentum suggests she's breaking free, a defiant saint, if you will. Curator: Consider the socio-political climate: artwork like this supported the church's charitable efforts. The contrast between the wealthy and impoverished was immense. Editor: So, what does her story suggest about the society she inhabited? Curator: It reveals an organized system of care but also highlights disparities in that society. Editor: A story etched in light and shadow then, quite literally! A potent combination.