Saint Catherine of Alexandria

"Saint Catherine of Alexandria," created by Peter Paul Rubens between 1615 and 1625, is a significant piece within the artist's extensive output of prints. This particular impression is technically an etching, specifically a counterproof taken from the first of three known states. Crucially, this proof bears substantial additions and refinements made by the artist in pen and brown ink and black chalk, suggesting it was used as a dynamic, working model to guide further revisions to the copper plate before the final definitive versions were issued.

The subject matter depicts the early Christian martyr, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a popular figure often associated with wisdom and intense devotion. Rubens focuses here on the saint's powerful attributes and spiritual contemplation. While the saint is traditionally shown with the breaking wheel, the inclusion of the swords relates directly to her eventual martyrdom by beheading, an event often implied in the surrounding iconography of the period. This powerful depiction reflects the profound religious fervor characteristic of Counter-Reformation Baroque art.

As a leading master of Flemish Baroque art, Rubens frequently collaborated with professional printmakers to disseminate his compositions across Europe. Although this piece is technically an intermediate proof, it provides invaluable insight into the developmental stages of the final image. This important work currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of the work's age and historical significance, high-resolution images of these master prints are often available through the public domain, allowing broader scholarly study of Rubens’s preparatory process and technical mastery.