Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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This is the left-hand shutter of a three-part folding altarpiece commissioned by the English merchant, Paul Withypool. The other shutter, which is also in the National Gallery's collection, shows Saint Ursula.Saint Catherine holds a fresh green palm, the symbol of martyrs -- those killed for their Christian faith. She rests its stem against a spiked wooden wheel, the instrument of her torture, which she survived when it miraculously broke into pieces. The sword she holds is a reminder of her eventual execution by beheading.On the reverse of the panel, two cherubs support a medallion that depicts Saint John the Baptist. He holds a reed cross and a scroll inscribed 'Behold the Lamb of God' (John 1: 29 and 36), and points to the lamb in his arms.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Date

1514

Medium

Oil on wood

Measurements

H 84 x W 40 cm

Accession number

NG646

Acquisition method

Bought, 1860

Work type

Painting

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The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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