St Catherine of Siena c. 1750

Giovanni Marco Pitteri created this engraving of St. Catherine of Siena. Looking at this print, we are invited into a world of deep religious devotion, but also one of significant social agency. St. Catherine, a laywoman in the 14th century, was known for her mystical experiences and her powerful influence on the Church and Italian politics. Her ecstatic expression and the crown of thorns allude to her spiritual visions and identification with Christ's suffering. The stigmata on her hand mark her as chosen, set apart, and divinely intimate.   Yet, this image also speaks to the historical role of women in the Church—often finding power and voice through religious experience. Catherine, who dictated letters to Popes and advised political leaders, challenged the patriarchal structures of her time through her spiritual authority. Consider how this print captures both the physical suffering and the intellectual strength of a woman who transcended the limitations of her era.