Spanish or Italian school of the 18th century

Spanish or Italian school of the 18th century.
"Saint Teresa of Jesus".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Measurements: 110 x 82 cm; 133 x 106 cm (frame).

In this devotional image the artist presents the figure of St. Teresa receiving the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which starts from a break of glory located in the upper left area of the scene. The protagonist holds a pen in her right hand, while the other hand rests on the pages of a book indicating to the viewer her relevance as a theologian and theorist of the church. Both the pen and the book are held by two putti of graceful anatomies.

Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada, better known by the name of Saint Teresa of Jesus or simply Saint Teresa of Avila (Avila, 1515 - Alba de Tormes, 1582) was a Spanish nun, doctor of the Catholic Church, mystic and writer. Together with St. John of the Cross she introduced the great Carmelite reform, and her writings are a model in the ways of prayer and perfection. St. Teresa is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most admirable women in history. At the age of seven she already felt a great predilection for reading the lives of saints. His brother Rodrigo was almost the same age, so they used to play together. The two children, impressed by the thought of eternity, admired the victories of the saints in conquering eternal glory, so they resolved to leave for the country of the Moors in the hope of dying for the faith and thus becoming martyrs. They thus set out from their home, but on the way they were picked up by one of their uncles, who returned them to their mother. In view of the failure of their projects, Teresa and Rodrigo decided to live as hermits in their own house and began to build a cell in the garden, although they never finished it. Teresa loved solitude from then on. In her room she had a picture representing the Savior talking to the Samaritan woman and she used to repeat in front of that image: "Lord, give me to drink so I will never be thirsty again". During her adolescence, Teresa fell ill, and during her convalescence she decided to dedicate herself completely to religious life. She entered the convent of the Incarnation in Avila at the age of eighteen and, after her health worsened, she was cured, according to her, by St. Joseph. Three years later, according to her writings, Jesus Christ appeared to her in the parlor with an angry countenance, reprimanding her for her familiar dealings with the laity, which had caused her to neglect prayer. In 1558 he had his first rapture and vision of hell, and from then on he enjoyed great heavenly favors such as the vision of the risen Jesus. All these mystical experiences were reflected in his lyrical-religious poetry.