Saint Agnes 1700 - 1725

Curator: Here we have a bronze sculpture titled "Saint Agnes," created sometime between 1700 and 1725, and attributed to the workshop of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Editor: She feels so alive, despite being rendered in bronze. There’s a warmth to it that really captures the drama. Her face is captivating— such serene sorrow! Curator: Indeed! Bernini's studio often portrayed saints not merely as symbols, but as humans experiencing profound emotions. Notice how her hand rests gently on her chest—it’s a gesture loaded with vulnerability, piety, and innocence. Saint Agnes was martyred as a young woman, devoted to her faith. Editor: And the lamb! The tiny lamb at her feet. Is that a typical inclusion? Curator: Absolutely. The lamb is her primary attribute, a visual reminder of her purity and sacrifice, “Agnus Dei,” Lamb of God. Her narrative has roots stretching back centuries; her symbols evoke notions of spiritual cleansing and moral resilience. Editor: It's funny how these symbols stick. I always associate lambs with gentleness and vulnerability, it must be partly her influence. It’s really amazing how those subtle tilts of her head and the flowing drapery really gives a feeling of motion frozen in time. Curator: That movement is signature Bernini, or at least his circle. The baroque emphasis on capturing transient moments, emotion, a potent psychological narrative… Editor: I keep returning to her eyes, such a depth there. Almost as if, she can foresee all that is about to happen to her. I also noticed, just now, how softly modeled her neck is... It is so graceful. This sculpture feels more intimate. Curator: Art like this really gives tangible form to abstract concepts like faith and suffering, helping them persist throughout the ages. Editor: Well, looking at this image I certainly now see Agnes in a completely new, almost personal, light.