Artwork
Maria mit Kind und den hll. Sebastian und Katharina (zugeschrieben)
Maria mit Kind und den hll. Sebastian und Katharina (zugeschrieben) is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Hans Rottenhammer. It dates from 1598 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Created in 1598, this small‑scale oil painting is traditionally linked to the German artist Johann Rottenhammer.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a devotional grouping centered on the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, flanked by Saint Sebastian and Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
The painting presents a devotional grouping centered on the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, flanked by Saint Sebastian and Saint Catherine of Alexandria. As a religious work, it unites a tender maternal theme with the intercessory roles of two of the most venerated holy figures in late medieval and Renaissance devotion. Sebastian, traditionally shown wounded by arrows and invoked against plague, embodies suffering endured in faith, while Catherine of Alexandria, often identified by attributes such as a wheel or sword, represents martyrdom and learned piety.
Their presence alongside the Virgin and Child frames the sacred figures as protectors and models of Christian virtue, lending the small panel a contemplative, devotional character suited to private worship.
Technique & Style
The panel is executed in oil on copper, a support favored in late sixteenth-century southern Germany for its smooth surface and rapid drying properties. Handling shows the fine, linear precision typical of Rottenhammer’s early manner, with meticulous modeling of drapery and delicate detailing of faces and attributes. Stylistic features include the cool, silvery tonality and crisp contours that distinguish his Augsburg works of the 1590s, alongside a restrained palette dominated by pearlescent blues and whites.
The composition arranges the three figures along a shallow diagonal, with the Christ Child seated on the Virgin’s lap and Saints Sebastian and Catherine positioned to the right, their attributes rendered with graphic clarity. The copper’s reflective ground enhances luminosity, particularly in the Virgin’s mantle and the gilt nimbus of the Child.
History & Provenance
The painting known as Maria mit Kind und den hll. Sebastian und Katharina is attributed to Hans Rottenhammer and dates to 1594. This religious work depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child alongside Saints Sebastian and Catherine of Alexandria.
The piece measures 56 cm in height and 34.5 cm in width. It is currently held within the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, specifically housed at the Alte Pinakothek. The work was created during the late 16th century, reflecting the artist's engagement with religious iconography of the period.
The painting is held in the Bavarian State Painting Collections and housed at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. Dated 1594, it is catalogued as a religious work attributed to Hans Rottenhammer, depicting the Virgin Mary with Saints Sebastian and Catherine of Alexandria.
No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Overview
Created in 1598, this small‑scale oil painting is traditionally linked to the German artist Johann Rottenhammer. It belongs to the early Baroque period and is presently housed in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. The composition centers on the Virgin Mary seated on a cloud with the infant Christ, accompanied by two saints on either side.
Artist & collection
Artist
Johann Rottenhammer, or Hans Rottenhammer (1564 – 14 August 1625), was a German painter. He specialized in highly finished paintings on a small scale.
