Saint Rose of Viterbo
Previously it was thought that this artwork represented another saint. Join us and know what it was.
By Santa Clara Museum
Baltasar de Figueroa
Saint Rosalia (Siglo XVII) by Baltasar de Figueroa (attributed)Santa Clara Museum
Rose was born in the Italian city of Viterbo. Her devotion began at the age of eight, when, miraculously, the Virgin relieved her of a difficult illness. Here Rose wears the tunic of the Tertiary Franciscan order, which she joined, encouraged by Mary.
After a short life dedicated to the preaching and defense of the pope, the saint died in her hometown. Her incorrupt body is in the Clarian convent of Viterbo. Considered a 'true portrait,' this image seeks to reproduce Rosa’s miraculous qualities.
The red curtain in the upper right corner and the base on which the saint rests refer to the practice of covering sacred images. These were shown to the parishioners at certain celebrations or events.
A crown of roses surrounds the head of the saint, who wears her hair loose. To her left flies a white dove: the Holy Spirit. With her right hand, she holds a crucifix. These three symbols allude to Rose's eloquence in preaching.
In many cases, the iconographic attributes of saints are known inaccurately. That and the similarity between them generates confusion. That happened for many years with this image, as it was said to represent Saint Rosalia of Palermo.
She had an ascetic life on Mount Coschina and then on the Pellegrino, where she died in 1160. According to accounts, the discovery of her relics in 1624 miraculously caused the plague to be eradicated in Palermo.
Although Rosalia’s story differs from Santa Rose's, both are shown with similar iconographic attributes. Both wear the Franciscan habit without a headdress or veil, and on their heads, they wear crowns of roses.
Rosalia has other attributes, such as disciplines, small whips used in self-flagellation, related to the mortification of the flesh; or the crook, with which she ran away from home. Not seeing these elements in the image, we know that this woman is Saint Rose of Viterbo.
Créditos
Museum Director
María Constanza Toquica Clavijo
Museology
María Alejandra Malagón Quintero
Curation
Anamaría Torres Rodríguez
María Isabel Téllez Colmenares
Collection Management
Paula Ximena Guzmán López
Editorial
Tanit Barragán Montilla Divulgación y prensa
Communications
Jhonatan Chinchilla Pérez
