{"product_id":"saint-catherine-of-alexandria-caravaggio","title":"Saint Catherine of Alexandria - Caravaggio","description":"\u003cp\u003eA masterful example of Baroque chiaroscuro, this portrait by Caravaggio depicts Saint Catherine with striking realism and dramatic lighting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePainted around 1598, this work depicts Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a figure from Christian hagiography. Caravaggio presents the saint not as a distant icon, but as a contemporary woman, likely modelled by Fillide Melandroni, a well-known Roman courtesan of the period. She is shown seated, leaning against the spiked wheel that serves as her primary attribute, symbolising the instrument of her attempted torture. Her hand rests upon a sword, another element of her martyrdom, while a palm frond lies at her feet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition is defined by the artist's signature use of chiaroscuro. A single, directional light source emerges from the left, illuminating the saint's face, her white blouse, and the texture of her dark, heavy robes. The background remains obscured in deep shadow, which forces the viewer to focus entirely on the subject. This technique creates a sense of physical presence and immediacy. The saint's expression is calm, almost detached, as she gazes directly at the viewer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaravaggio avoids the idealised features common in late Renaissance painting. Instead, he captures the specific, individualised characteristics of his model. The fabric of her dress, with its subtle sheen and folds, is rendered with precision. The wheel, constructed of wood and iron, is depicted with a focus on its material reality rather than symbolic abstraction. This approach to religious subject matter was characteristic of the artist's early Roman period, where he sought to bring sacred narratives into the realm of everyday human experience. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/sv\/products\/portrait-of-charles-i-of-england-anthony-van-dyck\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePortrait of Charles I of England - Anthony van Dyck — Anthony van Dyck\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/sv\/products\/pastoral-landscape-with-the-ponte-molle-claude-lorrain\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePastoral Landscape with the Ponte Molle - Claude Lorrain — Claude Lorrain\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Caravaggio","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58829987184975,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58829992722767,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58829992755535,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58829992788303,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58829992821071,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Saint-Catherine-of-Alexandria_Poster_CompositorV1_1789902584434.jpg?v=1789902842","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/sv\/products\/saint-catherine-of-alexandria-caravaggio","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}