Artwork
Die hl. Katharina soll zum Götzendienst zurückkehren
Die hl. Katharina soll zum Götzendienst zurückkehren is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Bartolomeo Manfredi. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
This visual representation serves as a testament to her martyrdom and theological resilience.
The painting depicts the biblical narrative where Saint Catherine of Alexandria is ordered to return to the practice of idolatry, a moment central to her hagiography. As a religious work by Bartolomeo Manfredi, the scene illustrates the saint's steadfast refusal to renounce her Christian faith despite pressure to engage in pagan worship. The title explicitly identifies the subject as Catherine being commanded to resume idol worship, highlighting the conflict between her spiritual conviction and the demands of her persecutors. This visual representation serves as a testament to her martyrdom and theological resilience.
History & Provenance
The painting Die hl. Katharina soll zum Götzendienst zurückkehren is dated to 1600 and attributed to the Italian Baroque artist Bartolomeo Manfredi. According to the sources, the work is currently held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is displayed at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. No further details about its earlier ownership, commission, or creation history are provided in the available references.
The painting is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is located at the Alte Pinakothek. No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available sources. Furthermore, there is no documented exhibition history for this work within the referenced materials.
Context
Bartolomeo Manfredi's 1600 oil painting Die hl. Katharina soll zum Götzendienst zurückkehren, depicting Catherine of Alexandria, was created during the Baroque period when religious subjects remained central in Counter-Reformation art. Its formal dimensions of 123.5 cm by 153.5 cm align with Baroque compositional practices emphasizing dynamic movement and emotional intensity.
The work is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, reflecting Munich's significance as a hub for preserving ecclesiastical artworks. Scholarship situates it within Manfredi's oeuvre as an example of early 17th-century naturalistic realism influencing religious imagery, though specific critical reception details are not documented in available sources.
Overview
Created around 1600, this oil painting by the Italian Baroque artist Bartolomeo Manfredi presents a nocturnal interior scene centred on Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The work is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it is displayed among other 17th‑century religious compositions.
Technique & Style
Manfredi employs a dramatic chiaroscuro, contrasting deep shadows with sharply illuminated faces and objects. The light falls on the saint’s face, the man’s pointing finger, and a nearby shelf that holds a book, a small draped statue, and a bust, creating a theatrical focus that guides the viewer’s eye through the narrative.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolomeo Manfredi was an Italian painter, a leading member of the Caravaggisti of the early 17th century.
Christus als Knabe, Maria, Petrus, zwei Heilige und ein Geistlicher
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Die Heilige Familie mit dem Johannesknaben
Tempelgang Mariae
The Presentation in the Temple
Heilige Familie
Szene aus dem Leben der hl. Klara (?)
Kongernes tilbedelse
Isaak segnet Jakob (Kopie nach)
Kongernes tilbedelse
Raising Lazarus from the Dead- Ecce homo