Faith, Light, and $4.2 Million — The Story of Saint Dorothy

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]This is Francisco de Zurbarán, a 17th century Spanish master who [music] painted saints like no one else. Not as decoration, as devotion.

[00:00:09]This is his [music] Saint Dorothy, a Christian martyr who, moments before her execution, was mocked by a lawyer named [music] Theophilus. A basket of roses and apples in the dead of winter.

[00:00:21]Zurbarán captured that exact moment. He used [music] darkness to isolate her, soft light to reveal her. No distractions, no background. In 2010, it sold at [music] Sotheby's in New York for over $4.2 million. dollars. His highest auction result ever. Because his major works almost never leave museums.

[00:00:44]This one [music] did. Today, it sits in a private European collection. No public display, no museum queue, no crowds.

[00:00:53]>> [music] >> Zurbarán painted faith you can feel.

[00:00:56]What's the last thing that made you feel that way? Subscribe Past Sell for more antique stories.