Heilige Catharina 1583 - 1587

Curator: This engraving from the late 16th century, made by Johann Sadeler I, depicts the "Heilige Catharina," or Saint Catherine, a truly commanding figure. It resides here with us at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Right away, I’m struck by the sheer weight of it all – that wheel looks brutally medieval! The artist certainly captured a feeling of stoic acceptance. Curator: Yes, that is the torture wheel, one of Catherine's defining attributes. Also note the sword; both objects speak to the legends surrounding her martyrdom. Sadeler was really packing symbolism in there. Editor: Symbolism certainly. But to me that sword stands defiant, whilst the wheel almost lies dormant like a broken promise. It’s a peculiar tension between power and surrender that makes her intriguing. And she has a book! Curator: As the patron saint of philosophers and scholars, she would have one. Books are also very Baroque; consider knowledge itself being her instrument of defiance. Even though the work is an engraving it anticipates many aspects of that coming Baroque era. Editor: I didn’t know she was a patron saint of philosophers. Fascinating to consider her holding court as a sort of goddess of learning. Curator: Look closely at the background too. We see her earlier, and failed, execution: the destruction of the spiked wheel she was originally sentenced to by the Roman Emperor. This is Baroque stagecraft long before Bernini! Editor: Her serenity amidst the chaotic backdrop…it’s the heart of the whole image. It suggests a divine perspective, an acceptance of faith. So very calming amidst a world that can get chaotic! Curator: Right? It feels, perhaps paradoxically, human. Sadeler makes Catherine not just an icon but, through these layers of reference, accessible, maybe even sympathetic. Editor: Sympathetic certainly, for all her power, there’s a fragility about her. She stares at that book and is completely unaware of my presence, which invites a closeness. Curator: Ultimately this work underscores not only her saintly status but also the powerful narratives of faith and perseverance that have resonated for centuries. I mean, talk about multi-tasking. Editor: Definitely! An inspiring character… This engraving has prompted an existential conversation on how an engraving can embody such strong symbolism! Thanks, Johann!