Saint Catherine c. 1480

This image depicts Saint Catherine, rendered in an unknown medium by an anonymous artist. The most prominent feature here is the wheel, Catherine’s attribute, symbolizing both her martyrdom and her triumph over earthly tortures. The wheel, however, is not unique to Catherine; it echoes across cultures, from the Buddhist Dharma wheel representing the cycle of life, to the Roman Fortuna's wheel symbolizing fate. Even in modern times, the wheel as a symbol of fortune and recurrence appears in games of chance, perpetuating the idea of cyclic existence. The emotional resonance of the wheel is profound. It speaks to the endless cycles of suffering and redemption, appealing to our deepest fears and hopes, and reminding us of our transient existence. Thus, the image of Saint Catherine, anchored by the recurring symbol of the wheel, shows how symbols resonate through time, each era reinterpreting them through their own cultural and psychological prisms.