Saint Margaret of Antioch (?) c. 1412

Curator: This intriguing piece, held here at the Harvard Art Museums, is attributed to Battista Vincenza. It’s titled Saint Margaret of Antioch (?), though the identification is tentative. It's small, about 8 by 5 inches. Editor: It has such a stern, almost stoic presence, doesn't it? The wood carving around the central image gives it a folksy feel, but the saint’s expression feels quite intense. Curator: Absolutely. The treatment is so distinctive. I imagine Vincenza felt a personal connection to the subject, imbuing it with... perhaps her own quiet strength? Editor: I wonder about the context of its creation. What did it mean for a woman artist to depict a powerful female saint during that era? Was it a form of resistance, a quiet assertion of autonomy? Curator: It makes you think, doesn't it? I mean, perhaps Vincenza was simply fulfilling a commission. Yet there’s a compelling energy that radiates from this small icon. It feels utterly unique. Editor: Yes, whatever the context, it’s a potent image. It stays with you. Curator: It certainly does. A small window into a world of devotion and female creativity.