← Lucas Cranach the Elder

Saint Catherine (late 15th–mid-16th century)

Original title: Saint Catherine

Artist

Lucas Cranach the Elder

Date

late 15th–mid-16th century

Medium

Silverpoint, brush and brown ink, and indigo wash on vellum, pricked for transfer along brush lines

Dimensions

6 9/16 x 5 1/16 in. (16.7 x 12.8 cm)

Credit line

Purchase, David L. Klein Jr. Memorial Foundation Inc. Gift, Van Day Truex Fund, Malcolm H. Wiener, Susan H. Seidel, Mr. and Mrs. David M. Tobey and Stephen A. Geiger Gifts, and Karen B. Cohen Fund, 1995

kurzbeschreibung

Saint Catherine, an early Christian martyr, sits quietly and withdrawn. Lucas Cranach the Elder made this sheet between the late 15th and mid-16th century. It is executed in silverpoint, brush and brown ink, and indigo wash on vellum.

Description

The saint holds a seated, pensive pose. Her garment is patterned, its folds suggested with fine lines. A headdress gathers her long, curly hair. At her feet lies an object that recalls a sword or a lance. The dark background makes the figure stand out.

Context

Lucas Cranach the Elder ranks among the important German painters and printmakers of the Renaissance and served as court painter to the Saxon electors in Wittenberg. Saint Catherine was a common subject in the art of that time, venerated as patron saint of scholars and the sciences. The drawing may have served as a model for a larger painting or a print.

Impact

A calm, contemplative presence emanates from the sheet. Precise lines and restrained tones yield a noble, understated elegance. The saint appears approachable and immediate, almost like a personal devotional study.

Technique

Silverpoint allows fine, exact lines; brown ink and indigo wash add shading and accents. The drawing is on vellum, which was pricked along the brush lines for transfer.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)