Artwork
Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Saint Catherine of Alexandria is an oil painting by the High Renaissance artist Francesco da Cotignola. It dates from 1515 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The image serves as a devotional object within the genre of religious art, utilizing oil paint on a panel support to portray the holy figure.
This religious painting depicts Catherine of Alexandria as its central figure. Created in 1515 by Francesco da Cotignola, the work focuses exclusively on the representation of this specific saint. The image serves as a devotional object within the genre of religious art, utilizing oil paint on a panel support to portray the holy figure.
While the composition highlights Catherine as the main subject, the available records do not detail specific iconographic attributes or symbolic elements associated with her depiction in this particular iteration.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1515, this religious panel painting depicts Catherine of Alexandria using oil paint as its primary medium. The work is constructed on a wooden panel support, measuring 44.0 cm in height and 33.5 cm in width. Created by Francesco da Cotignola, the piece exemplifies early sixteenth-century devotional imagery through its specific material composition and compact scale.
The application of oil pigments on panel was a standard technique for portable religious works of this period, allowing for the detailed rendering of the saint's figure within the defined rectangular format.
History & Provenance
The painting Saint Catherine of Alexandria was created in 1515 by the Italian artist Francesco da Cotignola. Executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, the work measures 44.0 cm in height and 33.5 cm in width. The piece depicts the religious figure Catherine of Alexandria and is classified as a work of religious art.
It currently resides in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is held as part of their permanent holdings. No specific details regarding the original commission or the intermediate ownership chain prior to its arrival at the museum are provided in the available records.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria by Francesco da Cotignola is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The painting, executed in oil on panel in 1515, is part of the museum's holdings of religious art.
No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available documentation, and no exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.
Context
Created in 1515 by Francesco da Cotignola, this oil painting on panel depicts Saint Catherine of Alexandria and belongs to the religious art genre. It is housed in the Rijksmuseum collection, reflecting the artist's activity within the early 16th-century devotional painting tradition. The work's composition and iconography align with contemporary interpretations of the saint's legendary martyrdom, situating it within broader discussions of Renaissance narrative strategies in sacred imagery.
Overview
Francesco da Cotignola, an Italian painter active in the early sixteenth century, executed an oil painting of Saint Catherine of Alexandria in 1515. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the High Renaissance style that characterized his mature period.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Francesco da Cotignola (c. 1475–1532), also called Zaganelli (Italian pronunciation: ), was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, active mainly in Parma and Ravenna. He was a pupil of the painter Niccolo…
