Artwork
The Dream of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
The Dream of Saint Catherine of Alexandria is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Ludovico Carracci. It dates from 1593 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:center left on book in Greek letters: Gospel of Christ
About this work
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, with dimensions of 138.8 by 110.5 cm. The available sources document the medium and support but provide no details on the artist's handling, the condition of the work, or its formal and stylistic qualities.
History & Provenance
Sold at Christie's in 1946, it was purchased by Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi, then by the Samuel H.
Lodovico Carracci's painting, dated 1593, entered the collection of Louis-Jacques-Aime-Theodore de Dreux, marquis de Nancre, who likely gave it to Philippe II, duc d'Orleans. It passed through the Orleans family until the 1792 sale to Viscount Edouard de Walckiers, then to Francois-Louis-Joseph, marquis de Laborde-Mereville, who took it to London. Acquired by a consortium including Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, it remained in the Bridgewater trust, descending through the Egerton and Sutherland families.
Sold at Christie's in 1946, it was purchased by Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi, then by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in 1950, and gifted to the National Gallery of Art in 1952.
Overview
Lodovico Carracci's oil on canvas painting, The Dream of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, depicts the sleeping saint at the lower edge of the composition. Above her, the Christ Child manifests, surrounded by a retinue of angels. The artwork captures a moment where the spiritual vision of Catherine's dream appears tangible, illuminated by a distinctive light.
Subject & Meaning
The painting illustrates a significant episode in the life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a revered early Christian martyr. While she slumbers, the infant Christ descends from above, accompanied by celestial figures. This divine visitation, central to her narrative, is presented as a vivid, almost corporeal experience, emphasizing the profound spiritual connection between the saint and the sacred.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Ludovico (or Lodovico) Carracci ( kə-RAH-chee, UK also kə-RATCH-ee, Italian:; 21 April 1555 – 13 November 1619) was an Italian early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker from Bologna.
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The Virgin and Child with Saints Elizabeth and John
Virgin and Child with Angels
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The Madonna and Child
Madonna with the Child and angels
The Holy Family with Angels
The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine
Maria mit Kind, Johannesknaben und Engeln
The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine
Virgin and Child