True likeness of the venerable Luis Beltrán

Juan Sariñena was a spanish painter who captured the religious spirit of the Catholic Counter-Reformation in his works. He created this Vera efigie del Venerable Luis Beltrán to serve as a faithful likeness of this dominican missionary, painting him from life on the very day of his death at the dominican convent in Valencia. He died with a reputation for holiness; he was beatified in 1608 and canonized in 1671.

His eyes are closed; he holds a crucified Christ in his left hand, and his arms are positioned exactly as they were when his body was laid out on a bier for the people of Valencia to view. The plain background is marked by an inscription at the top identifying the subject, accompanied by the monograms of Jesus and Mary.