Dante Gabriel Rossetti

St Catherine

1857

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In Tate Britain
Exhibition

The Rossettis

A major exhibition devoted to the radical Rossetti generation

Now booking

Artist: Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1828–1882
Medium: Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions: Support: 345 × 250 × 15 mm
frame: 518 × 422 × 42 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Bequeathed by Mrs Emily Toms in memory of her father, Joseph Kershaw 1931
Reference: N04603

Display caption

This painting shows a medieval artist in his studio painting a model posing as St Catherine. She holds a palm branch which symbolises her martyrdom and a wheel, the instrument of torture on which she was killed. The picture’s brilliant colour and claustrophobic space are reminiscent of medieval manuscripts and stained-glass windows.During the 1850s Rossetti focused on producing watercolours which he sold privately to individual collectors. This picture is the only oil painting he completed at this time.

Gallery label, July 2007

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