Reliquary Bust of Saint Catherine of Alexandria 1465

This reliquary bust, sculpted by the renowned Late Gothic artist Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden in 1465, depicts Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The bust is carved in lindenwood and painted, with a serene expression and flowing hair, holding a sword in one hand and a wheel, the symbol of her martyrdom, in the other. Its naturalistic style and intricate details, like the delicate folds of her garment, are characteristic of Gerhaert's work. The bust served as a reliquary, housing fragments of Saint Catherine's remains for veneration. The bust is now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.