Saint Catherine of Alexandria 1889

Curator: This is Timothy Cole's "Saint Catherine of Alexandria," a wood engraving completed in 1889, now residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: My first thought? What a surprisingly delicate mood for an engraving. It's the textures I am drawn to, making me feel like running my finger over them. Like a ghost of medieval grandeur filtered through a modern lens. Curator: Indeed. Cole was renowned for his reproduction engravings, meticulously recreating Old Master paintings for a popular audience through publications. Here he uses a relatively 'low' medium to portray one of the most iconic and widely depicted female martyrs in Christian history. This choice in artistic interpretation reflects the prevailing 19th-century fascination with religious subjects viewed from afar and reinterpreted through popular arts. Editor: The sword, the book… It feels like a melancholic take on power and knowledge. Do you think her stance has anything to do with Cole's mindset while rendering her, a sense of reflection instead of blatant display of attributes? Curator: Quite possibly. The Pre-Raphaelite movement was influencing art, and their interest in medievalism often romanticized and idealized figures like Catherine. It is fascinating to think how the political agency of art has shaped Catherine’s perception along with her image throughout time, since she represented a strong feminine figure with both divine attributes and strong political knowledge. Editor: You know, I’m seeing more of Cole himself in her now – this engraver interpreting an age-old ideal. She’s caught between worlds – the medieval saint and the modern observer and somehow that makes the artwork so special. Curator: A beautiful paradox embodied through skilled artistry and astute cultural timing. Thanks for pointing that out! Editor: And thank you for bringing some academic heft, otherwise, it would just have been me waxing lyrical.