Sophronia asking the Saracen King Aladine to release the Christian prisoners

This large-scale picture forms a relatively small part of one of the most ambitious decorative cycles executed in Venice in the middle years of the 18th century. It was originally formed part of a series of eight, which has resulted in its rather cramped composition. The question of which brother painted part or the whole of the cycle is debatable. This image has been painted solely by one artist in an entirely consistent style. Antonio was the more accomplished figure painter, although it has been suggested that Francesco may have painted the whole image in order to help his brother out in so large an undertaking. Sophronia, a Christian virgin, is shown here pleading for the lives of the Christians whom King Aladine has accused of stealing an image of the Virgin Mary.