Standing Female Saint Holding a Stemmed Glass c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have an anonymous drawing of a standing female saint holding a stemmed glass. It feels very preliminary and light. How do you interpret this work? Curator: I see a challenge to traditional power structures within religious art. The sketch-like quality and the anonymous artist suggest a departure from the grand, authoritative pronouncements of the church. How might this saint, rendered so tentatively, subvert expectations of female piety and power? Editor: That's a really interesting way of thinking about it. Thanks! Curator: The act of questioning canonical representations is itself a powerful statement. Perhaps this saint invites us to reimagine holiness on our own terms.