Saint Catherine of Alexandria
- Artist: Raphael
- Date: about 1507
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the Saint Catherine of Alexandria by Raphael. Painted in about 1507, this work showcases Raphael's skill in capturing the essence of the saint's faith through her expression and pose.
Raphael has focused on the visionary aspect of Catherine's faith, depicting her with her hand on heart and lips parted, looking heavenwards to a golden break in the clouds. In the foreground, you'll notice a dandelion seed head - this was often used as a symbol of Christian grief and the Passion.
The saint's twisting pose reflects Raphael's study of the sinuous grace of Perugino's paintings, combined with the dynamic compositions of Leonardo and the monumentality of Michelangelo's figures. The sense of sculptural monumentality and the foreshortening of Catherine's raised head almost certainly derive from Michelangelo's unfinished marble Saint Matthew.
Raphael's use of composition and figure placement here is characteristic of his works, which often aimed to convey a sense of universal harmony. It's likely that this painting was commissioned for private devotion, perhaps by someone named after the saint or particularly devoted to her.
See it in person
Saint Catherine of Alexandria hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
