This piece is an oil painting on panel representing Saint Clare, the spiritual protector of the Convent of the Purísima Concepción of Monforte de Lemos. This piece likely dates from the first third of the 16th century and it is attributable to the so-called Master of Astorga.
In the image, we see a balanced scene that takes place in a room with a balcony that opens onto a warm landscape. The figure of Saint Clare appears at the forefront and her silhouette stands out against a textile hanging decorated with vegetal motifs suspended from the ceiling.
The artist follows the traditional iconography when it comes to representing the Italian saint. He presents her in the habit of the Clarisas nuns, with the staff and the monstrance displaying the Blessed Sacrament, clearly alluding to the episodes that took place at the convent of San Damiano in the year 1230. Overall, the artist achieved an atmosphere of great devotion through a meditated composition and an elegant chromatic selection.
Regarding the origin of the piece, the compositional scheme itself shows the characteristic features of the aforementioned Master of Astorga: a room with a balcony opening onto a landscape in the background, a textile hanging, a figure in the foreground, tiled flooring, a careful color selection, etc.
Otherwise, the way in which this piece entered the Monforte convent is unknown. It may have originally formed part of an altarpiece composed of other panels of similar characteristics. The initial hypothesis could be the dismemberment and subsequent gift of a section of the altarpiece that, for obvious reasons, would have held special significance for the community of the Clarisas nuns of Monforte de Lemos.