Antique painting on copper depicting the Virgin Mary, 18th century, Italian school

This painting depicts the Sorrowful Virgin (also known as Mater Dolorosa or the Praying Virgin), an iconographic subject that was widely prevalent in European sacred art from the Renaissance through the Baroque period. • Subject and Iconography: It depicts the Virgin Mary in a half-length portrait with her head bowed, her eyes tearful or turned toward the heavens as a sign of sorrow, and her hands clasped in prayer. Her attire traditionally consists of a white veil framing her face and a wide dark blue or light blue cloak, symbolizing purity and her connection to the divine. The halo—a soft, luminous ring around her head—emphasizes her holiness. • Style and Date: The style of the painting strongly evokes the devotional works of the Italian or European School from the 17th to the 18th centuries. The composition is clearly influenced by the masters of 17th-century classicism, particularly Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as Sassoferrato, famous for his varied and exquisitely tender depictions of the praying Madonna, which were widely replicated by followers and workshops of the time. The painting is in excellent condition; dimensions: h. 23.5 cm, w. 18 cm