St. Catherine of Alexandria

Another Saint Catherine at the El Paso Museum of Art, painted around 1620 during Artemisia's Roman period, presents the saint with the confidence and authority that characterize Artemisia's female figures. The early date places it during the most productive phase of Artemisia's career in Rome. Artemisia Gentileschi's powerfully direct treatment of female subjects—heroines, saints, and biblical figures depicted with unprecedented psychological force and physical credibility—makes her one of the most significant figures in the Baroque tradition.

Catherine's expression conveys the intellectual resolve for which the historical saint was celebrated. The handling shows the influence of both Orazio Gentileschi's more refined manner and Caravaggio's dramatic naturalism, a synthesis characteristic of Artemisia's Roman work.