St Catherine of Alexandria

Bernhard Strigel painted this Saint Catherine of Alexandria around 1505. Catherine was the patron saint of scholars, philosophers, and students, venerated throughout Europe. Strigel's treatment of the learned saint reflects the Swabian devotional tradition and his characteristic formal style Bernhard Strigel served as court painter to Emperor Maximilian I, making him among the most sought-after portraitists in the Habsburg world during the early sixteenth century.

Oil on panel with Strigel's bright Swabian palette and careful rendering of Catherine's attributes: the wheel, sword, and crown. The formal devotional presentation maintains the quality of his broader oeuvre.