Martyrdom of St Catherine of Alexandria, ca. 1525
MediumPear wood
Place of originOberrhein (?), Süddeutschland
Status
on display, room 020According to legend, Catherine, who lived in Alexandria in Egypt around 300 AD, died a violent death because of her Christian faith. This relief, modelled on Albrecht Dürer's woodcut of the same name from 1497/98, shows her praying with her tormentors and the instruments of torture destroyed by an angel. As far as we know today, Catherine was a fictional character. The story goes back to the fate of the philosopher and freethinker Hypathia of Alexandria, who was murdered by Christians around 415. Shortly afterwards, her death was reinterpreted as a Christian tale of woe and she was elevated to the status of a patron saint.
AccessionAcquisition 1929
Provenance[...]; o.D. Sammlung Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen; 25.5.1929 angekauft Inventory numberP 1929-141
Contact
sammlung@kunstpalast.de