Saint Catherine of Alexandria Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610)

Description of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s painting St. Catherine of Alexandria

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio is considered the founder of realism in painting. Not a single sketch or drawing remains after him - Caravaggio translated all his ideas on canvases at once. The life of the artist was very peculiar. Characterized by a defiant and hot temper, he was constantly caught in some dark stories, was the instigator of fights, several times imprisoned, was twice accused of murder. In the work of the artist the dominant place is occupied by male portraits and genre scenes with the participation of men. Most often the characters of Caravaggio - simple young men "from the crowd", bright, sensual, cheerful and somewhat rude. Such was the author himself.

The painting "St. Catherine of Alexandria" is a rare for the painter’s single portrait of a woman - although in facial features Catherine nevertheless resembles a boy. Catherine of Alexandria was the daughter of Xanthos, the ruler of Alexandria. The princess was very capricious, rejecting all potential suitors. Alexandria in those years was reputed to be one of the most enlightened cities, famous for its huge library and excellent schools. So Catherine received an excellent education. When she became queen, she converted to Christianity. Christ appeared to her in a dream and gave her a ring and from that time she considered herself a Christ’s bride. When the emperor Maximinus came to Alexandria to perform sacrifices and rites according to the pagan custom, Catherine burst into the temple and demanded that the emperor abandon the pagan gods and convert to Christianity. She was subsequently brutally executed and elevated to the rank of saint.

In the picture we see a very young girl in a white blouse embroidered with gold and a dark velvet dress. Her brown hair is parted and styled. A soft, half-child face, plump lips, neat lips, dark wary eyes-if it weren’t for the thin golden halo above her head, the image would be a portrait of an ordinary girl.