Mary Introducing St Catherine of Siena to Christ
1750
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
This painting shows a busy sky scene with lots of people floating on clouds. At the top, a robed figure with a halo sits on a cloud, surrounded by smaller winged figures. Below, two women in long dresses stand on clouds—one in blue, the other in a hooded cloak—while more winged figures swirl around them. The colors are soft and warm, with lots of pale blues, greens, and golds. Notice the woman in the blue robe holding a baby—she’s likely meant to be Saint Anne with the Virgin Mary. The way light and shadow separate the figures gives it a dreamy, layered look. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how this painting uses light and dark for drama.
