Italian school; 17th century. "Saint Anthony of Padua with the Infant Jesus". Oil on canvas. Re-retouched. Presents repainting, restorations. Antique frame. Measurements: 95,5 x 71,5 cm; 104,5 x 84 cm (frame). This remarkable representation of Saint Francis in prayer, from the Italian school, is characterised by an expressive chiaroscuro typically baroque. The light seems to emanate from faces and hands, as well as from the body of Jesus, who appears to the saint holding an orb and in an attitude of blessing. The bodies, chiselled by a purely chromatic modelling, emerge from a dark background that gradually changes to a variety of ochres and earth tones, giving shape and texture to the saint's tunic. The mysticism that pervades the painting, thanks to a palette of very rich nuances, is similar to that which pervades Ribera's paintings of Saint Anthony, but the Spaniard's naturalism is here replaced by a typically Italian idealising tendency. The present work depicts one of his best-known visions: either in an inn or in a house, the owner of the house saw through the half-open door how the saint was talking to a beautiful child, whom he was holding in his arms. However, in this case we can only see the presence of the Infant Jesus in the upper area, without the saint actually holding him. This iconography has generally been used since the 17th century, becoming so well known and appreciated that no other element was needed to identify the subject, as can be seen in the present work. Dimensions 95,5 x 71,5 cm; 104,5 x 84 cm (frame).