Saint Catherine
Master of the Holy Blood·c. 1520
Historical Context
This Saint Catherine panel by the Master of the Holy Blood (c. 1520) shows the learned princess-saint with her traditional attributes — the wheel of her martyrdom and the sword of her execution. Catherine of Alexandria was venerated as patroness of scholars, philosophers, and craftsmen, and was among the most frequently depicted saints in Northern European art. The panel likely formed a wing of a devotional ensemble, paired with a corresponding image of Saint Barbara, as was common practice in Bruges altarpiece production.
Technical Analysis
Executed in tempera on wood panel, the painting demonstrates the careful draughtsmanship and luminous color application of the late Bruges tradition, with detailed rendering of Catherine's crown, wheel, and rich garments.
Provenance
Claude Ashley Charles Ponsonby (1859-1935), London, England; (Sale: Christie's, London, March 28,1908 to Mori); James Hamet Dunn (1874-1956), St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada; [Bacri Brothers, Paris, France]; John L. Severance (1863-1936), Cleveland, OH, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art; The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
