Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Agnes (right panel)
- Artist: Fra Angelico
- Date: 1420 - 1429
- Medium: tempera on panel
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the "Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Agnes (right panel)" by Fra Angelico, created between 1420 and 1429 in tempera on panel. It was one of three panels that formed the predella for the main altar of a Florentine convent of Dominican nuns, dedicated to Saint Peter Martyr. The composition centers on two roundels: Catherine of Alexandria, with her famous martyrdom attributes—cross, sword, and wheel—paired with Saint Agnes, whose veil and lilies underscore her purity. The figures are rendered with a calm, linear grace typical of early 15th‑century Florentine painting, while the subtle use of light emphasizes the spiritual calmness of the scene.
The other two panels of the predella are equally evocative. One shows the dead Christ surrounded by Mary Magdalene and Saint John the Evangelist, a poignant reminder of sacrifice, while the other features a Dominican nun—most likely Catherine of Siena—alongside Saint Cecilia. The choice of these saints reflects the convent’s holdings of relics, creating a personalized devotional landscape. Fra Angelico’s delicate tempera technique gives each figure a luminous, almost translucent quality, making the panel a tender, intimate companion to the altar’s central iconography.
See it in person
Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Agnes (right panel) hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
