Saint Catherine of Siena c. 18th century

Curator: This is Johann Evangelist Holzer's "Saint Catherine of Siena," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first impression is one of starkness, from its monochromatic palette to the plain material. Curator: Absolutely. Holzer captures Catherine's mystical marriage, presenting her with the symbolic cross while the Christ Child looks on. The lilies, of course, represent her purity. Editor: It's interesting how the humble materials, likely ink on paper, speak to Catherine's own vow of poverty. What a contrast! Curator: It shows the artist understood how to use visual language to convey cultural meaning. Editor: Indeed. And it makes you consider the labor invested in even such seemingly simple work. Let's hope the materials reflect her integrity. Curator: A profound observation; thank you. Editor: My pleasure.