Saint Catherine of Alexandria - Caravaggio
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A masterful example of Baroque chiaroscuro, this portrait by Caravaggio depicts Saint Catherine with striking realism and dramatic lighting.
Painted around 1598, this work depicts Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a figure from Christian hagiography. Caravaggio presents the saint not as a distant icon, but as a contemporary woman, likely modelled by Fillide Melandroni, a well-known Roman courtesan of the period. She is shown seated, leaning against the spiked wheel that serves as her primary attribute, symbolising the instrument of her attempted torture. Her hand rests upon a sword, another element of her martyrdom, while a palm frond lies at her feet.
The composition is defined by the artist's signature use of chiaroscuro. A single, directional light source emerges from the left, illuminating the saint's face, her white blouse, and the texture of her dark, heavy robes. The background remains obscured in deep shadow, which forces the viewer to focus entirely on the subject. This technique creates a sense of physical presence and immediacy. The saint's expression is calm, almost detached, as she gazes directly at the viewer.
Caravaggio avoids the idealised features common in late Renaissance painting. Instead, he captures the specific, individualised characteristics of his model. The fabric of her dress, with its subtle sheen and folds, is rendered with precision. The wheel, constructed of wood and iron, is depicted with a focus on its material reality rather than symbolic abstraction. This approach to religious subject matter was characteristic of the artist's early Roman period, where he sought to bring sacred narratives into the realm of everyday human experience. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Saint Catherine of Alexandria - Caravaggio
Artist Biography
Caravaggio
Before the killing, he had already transformed European painting. He arrived in Rome from Milan in the early 1590s, hungry and unknown, and within a decade had developed a method of painting from life, using strong directional light against deep shadow, that made the prevailing Mannerist style look theatrical and empty. He used real people as models: prostitutes, street boys, labourers. His saints had dirty feet. The Church commissioned altarpieces and then rejected them for being too vulgar, too real, too much like the people who actually attended church.
The Calling of Saint Matthew, painted for the Contarelli Chapel in San Luigi dei Francesi, is his method at its clearest. The light enters from the upper right like a blade. Matthew sits at a tax collector's table with his companions. Christ points. The scene looks like something you might see through a doorway, which is roughly the viewer's position. Nothing is idealised. The moment is ordinary and sacred simultaneously.
After the killing he fled to Naples, then Malta, then Sicily, then back to Naples. He kept painting. The late works are darker, faster, more desperate. He received a papal pardon and boarded a boat north. He died on a beach in Porto Ercole in July 1610, at thirty-eight. The cause is unknown: fever, infection, possibly lead poisoning from his paints. His influence on Rembrandt, Velazquez, Georges de La Tour, and every painter who has ever used a spotlight is difficult to overstate.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
Fast Shipping
Museum-Quality Materials
You May Also Like