Artwork
St. Catherine is laid in the grave by the angels

St. Catherine is laid in the grave by the angels is a copper painting by the Mannerist artist Egidio van der Rye. It dates from 1599 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts St. Catherine of Alexandria being laid in her grave by angels, a religious scene that emphasizes her martyrdom and heavenly honor. As a work of religious art on copper sheet, the image combines the saint’s iconography with angelic figures to convey her sanctity and divine protection after death.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed on a thin copper sheet, a support commonly employed in late 16th-century Dutch and Flemish panel painting.
The painting is executed on a thin copper sheet, a support commonly employed in late 16th-century Dutch and Flemish panel painting. The small dimensions, measuring 35 centimeters in height and 26 centimeters in width, reflect the intimate scale typical of devotional works intended for private contemplation. The surface retains a smooth, metallic sheen that contributes to the luminous quality of the figures, while the handling of light and drapery demonstrates a restrained naturalism characteristic of the period’s religious imagery.
History & Provenance
St. Catherine is laid in the grave by the angels was created by Egidio van der Rye in 1597, executed on a copper sheet. The work is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it is currently located. No further details about its commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
St. Catherine is laid in the grave by the angels by Egidio van der Rye is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The work, painted in 1597 on copper sheet, is catalogued within that institution's holdings.
No further details regarding a specific inventory or accession number, nor any record of past exhibitions, are provided in the available sources.
Overview
Created in 1599 by Egidio van der Rye, this copper‑sheet work portrays the martyr Saint Catherine of Alexandria in a moment of repose. The composition shows the saint being gently laid to rest by three winged angels, set against a clear sky dotted with clouds. The piece belongs to the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
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