Set of plates; Italy, ca.1600. "Penitent Magdalene, Immaculate Conception, St. Peter and St. Francis". Gilded bronze. Preserves period frame veneered in ebony. Measurements: 28,5 x 22,5 cm; 10 x 7,3 cm (frame). Set of four gilded bronze plaques with reliefs of devotional themes. Each one of the four plates has a different character; Mary Magdalene, the image of the Immaculate Conception, St. Peter penitent and the figure of St. Francis. Among the four plates, the one of Mary Magdalene as penitent in the desert and the one of St. Peter stand out, since both show a greater detail in the composition and the technique required. The hair of Mary Magdalene, the cross, the skull and the detail of the perfumer in the lower right zone, added to the presence of the rooster in the case of Peter, are precious characteristics that provide a greater narrative to these reliefs. The plates are worked with the "schiacciato" technique, a sculptural relief modeling system used by the Romans and perfected in the 15th century by Donatello, which consists of proportionally reducing the size of the relief according to the depth to be represented. This sculptural technique makes it possible to create a bas-relief with a minimal variation (sometimes referred to as millimeters) with respect to the background. To give the viewer the illusion of depth, the gradual decrease in the depth of the thickness is complemented by the rigorous application of the laws of perspective, which enhances the visual effect. Dimensions 28,5 x 22,5 cm; 10 x 7,3 cm (frame).