Altar Dedicated to a Virgin Martyr [St. Lucy?]
early 19th century
![Altar Dedicated to a Virgin Martyr [St. Lucy?] by Unknown, Italian](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/smith/thumb/altar-dedicated-to-a-virgin-martyr-st-lucy-smith-909670-1.webp)
Classification
architecture
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-4183
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection this *Altar Dedicated to a Martyr [St.?]* is a captivating example of early 19th-century Italian religious architecture. Crafted by an Italian artist, the piece reflects the enduring tradition of devotional altars in Catholic Italy, where such structures served as focal points for prayer and veneration. Classified as architecture, it may represent a miniature model or portable shrine, highlighting the craftsmanship of ecclesiastical design during a period of Romantic revival in religious art. The altar's dedication to a virgin martyr...