Jacopo Palma il Vecchio, who had been active in Venice since 1510, specialised in the production of devotional paintings depicting the Virgin and Child with saints in lively little scenes set against sweeping landscapes. These so-called sacre conversazioni, which could be varied in subject and composition according to the patrons’ preferences, were in great demand at the time. Here, the composition revolves around the Christ Child offering a rosary to Saint Roch, the patron saint for protection against the plague. The female saint on the right holds the martyr's palm and a glass vessel, presumably an oil lamp: the attribute of Saint Lucy, who was venerated both as the patron of glassblowers and as a special protector of Venice.