Catharina verschijnt / huwelijk van Catharina / Catharina deelt haar mantel 1597

"Catharina verschijnt / huwelijk van Catharina / Catharina deelt haar mantel" (1597), an engraving by Pieter de Jode I (1572-1634), depicts a scene from the life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The image shows Saint Catherine receiving her heavenly crown and robe from Jesus and the Virgin Mary, while angels play music in the clouds. The composition is framed by architectural elements and a scene of a saint being martyred, adding a sense of both sacredness and the ephemeral nature of earthly life. The engraving is an example of the genre of "historia," popular in the Netherlands during the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and reflects the strong tradition of religious art in the region. The work is part of the collection of the Rijksmuseum.