Saint Quiteria

This small panel is part of the predella, or base, of an altarpiece whose origins are unknown. It was produced in the final quarter of the 15th century, in the workshops of Martín Bernat and Miguel Jiménez. The predella is formed of five scenes arranged so that Jesus Christ Man of Sorrows appears in the central panel, flanked on the left by Saint Damian and Saint Quiteria, and on the right by Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Cosmas. The set still has its Gothic cresting. These paintings feature characteristics of the Hispano-Flemish Gothic style in Aragon. These include the serene expressions on the faces, smooth shapes, and simplicity of the folds in the fabric, as well as the way the details are outlined, and the intense colors and gold highlighting. Saint Quiteria offers protection from rabies and nervous diseases, and her attributes are the palm frond—a symbol of martyrdom—and a devil in human form with a chain around its neck.