This is a depiction of the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, by Antonio Palomino.
Our Lady is depicted sitting in the center of the painting on a low stone platform. The Blessed Mother has white skin. She wears an ivory-colored veil, a red dress, and a blue cloak, which is wrapped around her body. Mary inclines her head slightly to her left side. Her hands are crossed at her chest.
A group of disciples kneels behind the Blessed Virgin on the stone platform. Light brown coloring helps the disciples' figures to blend in with the background of the painting.
A red canopy hangs over the platform on which Our Lady and the disciples are gathered. A little below the canopy, the Holy Ghost, depicted as a dove, hovers in the air above the figures. Rays of yellow light stream down from where the Paraclete is. On either side of the rays of light are small clouds and the heads of cherubs.
Two disciples kneel on either side of the painting’s foreground. The disciple on the left, Saint Peter, has white hair and a beard. He wears a green robe and a yellow cloak. He kneels on his left knee, while looking up at the Holy Ghost with outstretched hands. In front of St. Peter, an opened book rests against the stairs of the stone platform. Two large keys, one gold and one silver, lie on the ground in front of the book. The disciple kneeling on the right has short brown hair. He wears a green robe and a red cloak. This disciple folds his hands and looks behind himself towards the open book.
There are tiny flames above the heads of Our Lady and the disciples. There are more flames in the air behind the figures.
Download the digitally-restored image here.
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Isabella Childs
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