Martyrdom of Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Art Historical Context

Created in 1567 by the Italian printmaker Mario Cartaro, this engraving captures the dramatic martyrdom of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a popular subject in Renaissance religious art. The large scale of the plate—over seventeen inches tall—gives the composition a commanding presence, allowing fine details to emerge from the precisely incised lines. As the second state of two, this impression reflects the artist’s final refinements to the copper plate before printing. Engravings like this played a vital role in sixteenth-century Europe by making complex religious narratives widely available beyond church walls. Cartaro’s meticulous technique demonstrates the period’s growing interest in reproducible media, which helped spread both devotional imagery and artistic styles across regions. Today, this work resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, where it offers visitors a window into the technical mastery and cultural reach of Renaissance printmaking.