The Beheading of Saint – Margaret?

The Beheading of Saint Margaret is among the most dramatic subjects Starnina tackled — the virgin martyr of Antioch executed for refusing the Roman prefect Olybrius, whose cult was widespread across Tuscany and the Mediterranean. The tentative identification as Margaret rather than another female martyr reflects the ambiguity of the iconography — she lacks the dragon that usually identifies her, suggesting either a damaged or unconventional attribute. Starnina likely produced this as part of a hagiographic altarpiece cycle for a chapel dedicated to a female saint.

The executioner's raised sword and the kneeling saint's neck create the compositional tension of imminent action that Starnina handles with characteristic International Gothic fluidity. The saint's white robe and golden hair provide the chromatic contrast against the executioner's dark armour, with gold leaf tooling enriching the ground.