St. Catherine of Alexandria

St. Catherine of Alexandria was a legendary virgin martyr of the early Christian era whose cult enjoyed widespread popularity in the Middle Ages. According to the story, she was the daughter of a Roman imperial governor based in Egypt, raised as a princess, and became renowned for her beauty and intelligence. She requested baptism as a teenager and successfully debated the pagan philosophers that the fiercely anti-Christian emperor sent to win her back to his cause. Humiliated, the authorities next tried to break her spirit by torturing her on a spiked wheel, but at the pious virgin’s entreaty an angel shattered the device. After having converted hundreds to Christianity by her bold witness, Catherine was finally beheaded.

George and Polly's depiction of the beloved saint includes the usual Medieval iconographic attributes—the wheel of torture, sword of execution, palm branch of martyrdom, lily of purity, book of learning, attire of royalty, and dove of divine enlightenment. At the request of the patron who commissioned the painting, however, the artists also highlighted the geographical setting of Catherine’s story by including a view of the ancient port of Alexandria, with its famous “Pharos” or lighthouse in the distance. The result is a multi-layered but harmonious composition that pays tribute to the heroine’s noble ideals while reflecting the celebrated beauty of her body and soul.