Artwork

Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary

Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary, by Luca Giordano, oil, 1700
Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary, by Luca Giordano, oil, 1700

Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Luca Giordano. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition emphasizes the miraculous intervention, with the Virgin extending a protective gesture toward Bridget amid turbulent waters.

The painting depicts Saint Bridget of Sweden rescued from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary, a moment drawn from her legendary life and associated with divine protection. The composition emphasizes the miraculous intervention, with the Virgin extending a protective gesture toward Bridget amid turbulent waters. As a religious work within the Catholic tradition, it reflects Counter-Reformation themes of faith and heavenly aid, aligning with Giordano's devotional subjects during his later period.

The artwork is housed in the Museo del Prado, where it remains part of the museum's collection of Spanish Baroque religious paintings.

Technique & Style

The artwork is executed in oil paint on canvas, reflecting Giordano's mastery of Baroque religious composition. The canvas support measures 62 cm in height and 77 cm in width, providing a substantial format for the dynamic depiction of Bridget of Sweden being rescued by the Virgin Mary. The handling of oil paint demonstrates Giordano's characteristic fluid brushwork and dramatic chiaroscuro, contributing to the composition's emotional intensity and spiritual narrative.

History & Provenance

The painting was created in 1700 by Luca Giordano, depicting the moment Saint Bridget was saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary. It is an oil painting on canvas measuring 62 cm in height and 77 cm in width. The work belongs to the religious art genre and was originally part of the collection at the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

The painting is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The work, created around 1700, measures 62 cm in height and 77 cm in width. While the source confirms its location within this specific museum, no inventory number, accession code, or record of past exhibitions is provided in the available documentation.

Context

Luca Giordano's 1700 oil painting Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary entered the Museo del Prado collection shortly after its creation, where it remains on display. The work depicts the legendary rescue of Saint Bridget of Sweden from maritime peril by the Virgin Mary, a subject drawn from medieval hagiography. Its composition and dramatic chiaroscuro reflect the late Baroque style characteristic of Giordano's mature period, blending dynamic movement with devotional intensity.

As a religious painting in the museum's European Old Masters holdings, it exemplifies 17th-century Spanish artistic engagement with Counter-Reformation themes.

Scholarship on the painting emphasizes its technical virtuosity and devotional function, with recent studies focusing on Giordano's workshop practices and the canvas's material composition.

Overview

Luca Giordano’s early‑18th‑century oil on canvas, dated to 1700, portrays a miraculous rescue at sea. The composition centers on the Virgin Mary, robed in white, extending a hand toward a woman in red and gold, identified as Saint Bridget of Sweden. Below them, cherubic figures hover in a turbulent sky while three children cling to rocky outcrops, creating a dramatic narrative of divine intervention.

Die Fürbitte des Heiligen Gregor für die Seelen im Fegefeuer
Die Fürbitte des Heiligen Gregor für die Seelen im Fegefeuer, Sebastiano Ricci

Artist & collection

Portrait of Luca Giordano

Artist

Luca Giordano

Luca Giordano was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Giordano was one of the most celebrated artists of the Neapolitan Baroque, whose vast output included altarpieces, mythological paintings and…

Museo del Prado

Museum

Museo del Prado

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Museo del Prado open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary?

Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary was painted by Luca Giordano in 1700-01-01.

Where can I see Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary?

Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary is held by Museo del Prado.

What movement is Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary?

Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary is associated with Early Baroque Italian.

Can I buy a print of Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary?

Museum-quality prints of Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.