Saint Catherine of Alexandra is a painting by the Italian Baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi. It is in the collection of the Uffizi, Florence.[1] Gentileschi likely used the same cartoon or preparatory drawing to create both this painting and the Self-Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria (1615–1617), now in the National Gallery, London.[2][3]
| Saint Catherine of Alexandria | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Artemisia Gentileschi |
| Year | c. 1615–1617 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 78 cm × 61.5 cm (31 in × 24.2 in) |
| Location | Uffizi, Florence |
Subject Matter
editThe painting is a representation of Catherine, the daughter of King Costus of Alexandria, who defied the emperor Maxentius with her staunch defense of her Christian faith.[4] She was sentenced to death by use of a spiked wheel, but was saved when the instrument miraculously broke. She was subsequently beheaded and later recognized as a Christian martyr, with the broken spiked wheel as her symbol.[4] She is portrayed in a striking red gown with gold embellishment, holding the martyr's palm frond and wearing an elaborate gem-encrusted crown.
History
editProvenance
editWhile there is no clear evidence to identify a date for this painting, art historians believe it was created during the artist's time in Florence, when Caterina de' Medici was in residence.[4] Depictions of a saint renowned for her beauty and modesty became very popular in Florence during this period, as artists sought patronage from the Medici court.[5] Researchers have further observed the similarity between the image of the martyr's crown and one made for Ferdinand I de' Medici.[4] By 1683, the painting was documented as being in the Medici collection at Villa Artimino, in the Apartment of the Courtly Ladies.[6] By 1890, the painting was in the collection of the Galleria dell'Accademia.[6]
Restoration
editA significant campaign of restoration was completed in 1966, which recovered a painting once believed to be too fragile for public display.[7] The painting suffered further damage from the 1993 bombing near the Uffizi, which was subsequently restored.[7]
Scientific Analysis
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In 2019, this painting was examined by conservators in the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence.[2][3] Infrared, ultraviolet, and x-ray studies demonstrated that Gentileschi changed the composition while she was in the middle of painting it. The underpainting reveals a female head wearing a turban, oriented towards the viewer.[2][3] This differs from Gentileschi's final composition in which Saint Catherine wears a crown and looks up towards heaven. Tracings from the National Gallery's Self-Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria were compared to this underpainting and the study concluded that Gentileschi used the same cartoon or preparatory drawings for both of these images.[2][3] This conclusion provides evidence that Gentileschi used herself as a model when painting images of female martyrs.[3] In addition, the x-rays revealed a third face that was completely painted over in the final version. This was likely an initial sketch for an unrealized work of art, demonstrating that Gentileschi reused her canvases.[3] The final painted image is thought to represent a real person, according to art historians, and may depict Caterina de' Medici, Maria Maddalena of Austria or the artist herself.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Christiansen, Keith; Mann, Judith Walker (1 January 2001). Orazio and Artemisia Gentileschi. New York; New Haven: Metropolitan Museum of Art ; Yale University Press. ISBN 1588390063.
- ^ a b c d "X-ray of Uffizi's Artemisia Gentileschi reveals a tantalising underpainting". theartnewspaper.com. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Newly Discovered Drawings Beneath a Work by Artemisia Gentileschi Suggest She Often Used Herself as a Model". artnet News. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Treves, Letizia (2020). Artemisia. London: The National Gallery Company Ltd.
- ^ Garrard, Mary D. (1989). Artemisia Gentileschi: The image of the female hero in Italian Baroque art. Princeton University Press.
- ^ a b "Immunity From Seizure: Artemisia" (PDF). The National Gallery, London.
- ^ a b Bissell, R. Ward (1999). Artemisia Gentileschi and the authority of art : critical reading and catalogue raisonné. University Park, Pa.: Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 0271017872.