This mid-18th-century Italian oil painting depicts Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva, in prayer. It was previously owned by Prior Ottmar Zwiebelhofer of the Benedictine Abbey in Ettenheimmünster, Germany and thence by descent through his family. Saint Francis de Sales is the patron of writers, journalists and teachers.Born at Sales Castle in Savoy, France, as Francis Bonaventure, De Sales defended the Catholic doctrine amid a time of revolt and Reformation. As such, he’s considered one of the foremost figures of Christian theology. His father was of noble descent and expected him to take a bride and pursue a career as a magistrate. However, this sensitive, benevolent, intellectual, instead turned to God.His writings included ‘Introduction to the Devout Life (1608)’ and ‘On Love of God’, which were designed to educate the aristocracy on how to exercise their faith by fulfilling their societal, and moral, obligations. He was a student of the Jesuits.Regardl...