St. Catherine

Saint Catherine from around 1550, attributed to Bernardino Luini, depicts the learned virgin martyr with her wheel of martyrdom. The late date suggests workshop or follower production continuing after Luini's death around 1532, meeting the persistent demand for images in his distinctive devotional style. Catherine of Alexandria was one of the most popular saints in Italian Renaissance art, her combination of learning, beauty, and steadfast faith making her an ideal subject for devotional painting. Luini's absorption of Leonardo's sfumato technique was more thorough and commercially successful than that of any other Lombard follower, making his style the dominant idiom for refined northern Italian devotional painting in the early sixteenth century. This late work demonstrates the continuing market for images in his manner and the enduring loyalty of Lombard patrons to the visual language he had established.

The saint is depicted with the sweet expression and soft modeling characteristic of Luini's manner, though the later date may suggest workshop or follower participation.