The Martyrdom of St. Catherine

The Martyrdom of St. Catherine by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528, is a defining work of the artist's early maturity, demonstrating his revolutionary approach to the woodcut medium. Executed in 1498, this powerful print showcases the intellectual rigor and technical precision that Dürer brought to the graphic arts during the German Renaissance. The work was created using the challenging technique of woodcut in black on ivory laid paper.

The subject matter depicts the dramatic execution of St. Catherine of Alexandria, a celebrated virgin martyr whose attempts at torture, specifically the breaking wheel, were miraculously foiled before her eventual beheading. Dürer’s detailed composition captures the intensity of the scene, utilizing finely modulated lines, dense cross-hatching, and varied mark-making to achieve deep textural contrasts and volumetric shading. This level of technical sophistication elevated the woodcut print from a rudimentary illustration to a complex, emotionally resonant work of high art.

As a leading figure in late fifteenth-century Germany, Dürer profoundly influenced the production and distribution of artistic prints across Europe. His prints served as vital forms of mass communication, spreading his fame and artistic style internationally. This historic piece, The Martyrdom of St. Catherine, is housed in the renowned permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a masterwork from the period, high-resolution images of these early prints are widely available for scholarly analysis and general appreciation through public domain art initiatives.