Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine (Michelino da Besozzo)
Encyclopedia
The Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine is a painting by the Italian late medieval painter Michelino da Besozzo, dating from c. 1420 and housed in the Pinacoteca Nazionale
of Siena
, Italy.
It is the only signed work by the Gothic painter, as well as his only certain one alongside with a Marriage of the Virgin in the Metropolitan Museum of New York
.
of Alexandria, who is kneeling in front of him. The latter wears precious clothes, including a wide fur-lined rose cloak and gilt crown; her long, blond hair is also an attribute of aristocratic women of the time. At the sides are Saint John the Baptist and Saint Anthony the Great, with his typical attribute, a pork, at his feet.
In the gilt background is tha artist' signature, "Michelinus feci", located under the Virgin's mantle. The saints' names are also written next to them.
Pinacoteca Nazionale (Siena)
The Pinacoteca Nazionale is a national museum in Siena, Tuscany, Italy. Inaugurated in 1932, it houses especially late medieval and Renaissance paintings from Italian artists. It is housed in the Brigidi and Buonsignori palaces in the city's center: the former, built in the 14th century, it is...
of Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
, Italy.
It is the only signed work by the Gothic painter, as well as his only certain one alongside with a Marriage of the Virgin in the Metropolitan Museum of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Description
The painting shows the Virgin holding the Child on her knees while the latter, through a ring, celebrates the symbolic mystical marriage of Saint CatherineMystical Marriage of Saint Catherine
The Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine could refer to visions received by either Saint Catherine of Alexandria or Saint Catherine of Siena , in which these virgin saints went through a wedding ceremony with Christ, in the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary, consecrating themselves and their...
of Alexandria, who is kneeling in front of him. The latter wears precious clothes, including a wide fur-lined rose cloak and gilt crown; her long, blond hair is also an attribute of aristocratic women of the time. At the sides are Saint John the Baptist and Saint Anthony the Great, with his typical attribute, a pork, at his feet.
In the gilt background is tha artist' signature, "Michelinus feci", located under the Virgin's mantle. The saints' names are also written next to them.