Artwork
St Catherine of Siena
St Catherine of Siena is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. It dates from 1743 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows Saint Catherine of Siena, a Dominican tertiary renowned for her mystical visions and advocacy for church reform.
The painting shows Saint Catherine of Siena, a Dominican tertiary renowned for her mystical visions and advocacy for church reform. She is depicted in the habit of her order, holding a book that symbolizes her theological insight, while a small crucifix rests in her hand, emphasizing her devotion to Christ. The work conveys her spiritual authority and the fusion of contemplative life with active ecclesiastical influence, reflecting the Baroque emphasis on divine ecstasy and personal sanctity.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting on canvas created around 1746. It measures 70 cm in height and depicts Saint Catherine of Siena in a devotional composition characteristic of Tiepolo's mature religious style. The painting is currently housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
The execution employs delicate brushwork with luminous coloration and soft chiaroscuro to model the saint's figure and drapery, reflecting the Venetian tradition of painterly surface treatment and Rococo elegance.
History & Provenance
The painting St Catherine of Siena was executed by the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Historical analysis dates the creation of the work to approximately 1746. Following its completion, the artwork entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, where it remains conserved. The piece is classified as a religious genre painting depicting Catherine of Siena as its primary subject.
The painting is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, where it is listed under inventory number KHM 1054. It was created around 1746 by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo as part of the museum's permanent collection of religious artworks. The work has been featured in exhibitions focusing on Tiepolo's religious paintings, including a 2015 exhibition at the museum highlighted in a German publication on Tiepolo's oeuvre.
Context
The painting St Catherine of Siena by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. It was created around 1746 and exemplifies the religious genre characteristic of Tiepolo's output. The work has been studied within the broader context of 18th-century Venetian painting and Tiepolo's role in advancing devotional imagery during that period.
Scholarly discussion highlights its significance as part of Tiepolo's mature phase, where he combined dynamic composition with spiritual intensity, reflecting both Baroque traditions and Enlightenment-era artistic sensibilities.
The painting's reception has been positively evaluated in art historical literature, particularly in studies examining Tiepolo's contributions to religious art and the development of large-scale devotional works in European museums.
Overview
St Catherine of Siena is a painting by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, created around 1743. It is a representation of the saint and is housed at the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, also known as Giambattista Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice who painted in the Rococo style, considered an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school.
