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Saint Catherine of Siena

Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) is depicted here in the habit of a Dominican Tertiary, a clue that Catherine followed a particular way of life prescribed by the Dominican order within the Roman Catholic tradition. Catherine is portrayed in a moment of quiet contemplation, palms clasped in prayer. Her book rests on a human skull. This motif is known as a memento mori, a term literally meaningremember you must die,” a philosophical reminder of the inevitability of death. The white lilies, on the left, are a symbol often found in religious paintings, representing the purity of the Virgin Mary.  

Not currently on display

Artist
Circle of Baldassare Franceschini
Date
17th Century
Dimensions
87.6 x 103.5 cm
Materials
Oil on canvas
Acquisition
Bourgeois Bequest, 1811
Accession number
DPG252