Saint Christopher

The painting is dominated by the figure of Christopher, a saint venerated since the Middle Ages but whose historical existence was questioned due to the lack of reliable sources. After the Council of Trento, his cult was confined to a popular devotion plane until it was definitively suppressed (1969).
Christopher’s story originates from his name that means “he who carries Christ”. The story is about a giant who transported the poor and the weak across a river. One night, he happened to ferry a boy who grew heavier with every step. The boy turned out to be the Christ who told the saint that he had carried the weight of the world on his back.