Katharinenaltar: Martyrium der hl. Katharina

Hans Holbein the Elder painted this Martyrdom of Saint Catherine as part of a Katherine altar around 1512, near the end of his career. Working primarily in Augsburg, the elder Holbein was one of the most important German painters of the late fifteenth century, known for his transition from late Gothic to Renaissance style. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

The panel demonstrates Holbein the Elder's mature technique combining precise Augsburg draughtsmanship with the softer modeling and spatial depth he developed through contact with Italian art.