The Entombment of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, 1636/1637
Francisco de Zurbarán
Spanish, 1598-1664
Saint Catherine was a 4th-century princess of Alexandria who vowed to devote her life to God and was martyred for refusing to marry the Emperor Maxentius. After torture by fire, she was condemned to death on a spiked wheel, shown in the painting's right foreground. When Catherine touched the wheel, it miraculously fell apart, and so she was beheaded. Zurbarán depicts the deceased saint being lifted by angels who will transport her to the top of Mount Sinai, her burial place. Typically Baroque, the action of the painting nearly spills into our own space, and its deep shadows reflect the widespread influence, in this instance extending beyond Italy into Spain, of Caravaggio.
Maverick Mist 
Lovely artwork, such a dark subject so beautifully depicted.
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Agreed, and to think this was done in the 1600’s.
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❤ ❤
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❤ ❤
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Last Thursday my man and I went to the Art Gallery in Sydney to see their latest exhibition. It was Rembrandt and quite a number of the 17th century Dutch artists including Johanne Vermeer, who I love (The girl with the pearl earing). We didn’t get to see that particular painting, instead they exhibited ‘Woman in Blue’, which was wonderfully and ‘seemingly’ simply created.
The painting, above, is so typical of this time, Maverick. Wonderfully done.
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Thanks Carolyn. The girl with the pearl earring is a beautiful painting and Woman in blue is also lovely. Sounds like a great exhibit and you’re right the paintings typical of that time are wonderfully created.
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