Saint Catherine holding palm leaves and a sword, two putti overhead holding a laurel

Art Historical Context

This striking print portrays Saint Catherine, the early Christian martyr, as she holds palm fronds symbolizing her martyrdom alongside a sword, the instrument of her death. Two putti hover above, offering a laurel wreath that evokes themes of victory and reward. Created between 1625 and 1659 through the collaboration of Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens and engraver Schelte Adams à Bolswert, the work reflects the era’s deep interest in devotional imagery during the Counter-Reformation. Executed in etching and engraving as the first state of two, the medium allowed for wide circulation of religious subjects among 17th-century collectors and worshippers. The crisp lines and tonal contrasts typical of this technique highlight the saint’s serene expression and the delicate forms of the angels, making the composition both intimate and monumental despite its modest. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this impression from The Elisha Whittelsey Collection invites viewers to appreciate how printmaking extended the reach of Baroque devotional art far beyond church walls.

About the Artist

Peter Paul Rubens|Schelte Adams à Bolswert · 1577–1640

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) stands as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition and the greatest exponent of Baroque painting's dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Born in Siegen, Westphalia, and raised in Antwerp, Rubens received a humanist education studying Latin and classical literature before pursuing artistic training under three masters: Tobias Verhaecht, Adam ...