Huwelijk van de heilige Catharina met Christus 1670 - 1693

Curator: Welcome to the Rijksmuseum. Here, we see a Baroque engraving entitled "The Mystical Marriage of St. Catherine," created by François de Poilly between 1670 and 1693. The print illustrates Saint Catherine's symbolic marriage to Christ. Editor: Wow, look at all those cherubs poking their heads out of the clouds, it is so dramatically baroque! I immediately get a sense of soft, dreamy solemnity…as though glimpsing a very serious yet beautiful secret. Curator: Precisely! De Poilly, active in a period marked by religious and aristocratic patronage, presents us with a popular allegorical subject. St. Catherine, often associated with wisdom, stands before the Virgin Mary, who holds the Christ Child as he places a ring on her finger. It speaks volumes about the Church’s use of imagery. Editor: A sword at the base of it all is an odd, grounded touch, given the ethereal nature of the piece... reminds me a little bit of foreboding, a weight perhaps. Does that represent the martyrdom she undergoes for her faith? Curator: It does, absolutely. That juxtaposition is very characteristic of baroque art in communicating complex theological concepts to the masses. The surrounding angels, so meticulously rendered through engraving, frame this central act. The fine details possible via engraving allowed prints like these to have extensive reach during that time. Editor: What strikes me about that is how incredibly fragile and resilient the artwork feels. All those layers of delicate lines conveying strength. The halos float so gently; it seems like a dream fading around the edges. It’s a really poignant piece. Curator: Absolutely. And considering its historical place within the popular image culture, these artworks really spoke volumes about baroque social and religious ideals to a broad audience. The ability of printmaking to widely distribute potent symbolic content solidified that narrative within culture. Editor: Seeing the technical artistry of this alongside such tender interaction, gives the whole presentation a heavenly human feeling! Curator: Yes, art creates dialogues across time. Thank you for joining me! Editor: Thank you, that was heavenly.