Artwork
Die hl. Katharina soll zum Götzendienst zurückkehren
Die hl. Katharina soll zum Götzendienst zurückkehren is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Bartolomeo Manfredi. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1600, this oil painting by the Italian Baroque artist Bartolomeo Manfredi presents a nocturnal interior scene centred on Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The work is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it is displayed among other 17th‑century religious compositions.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is identified as Catherine of Alexandria, shown in lighter robes with her hands raised in a gesture of appeal or testimony. A bearded man in dark attire points toward her, suggesting a dialogue about faith or doctrine, a common motif in Counter‑Reformation art that emphasizes the saint’s role as a defender of true belief.
Technique & Style
Manfredi employs a dramatic chiaroscuro, contrasting deep shadows with sharply illuminated faces and objects. The light falls on the saint’s face, the man’s pointing finger, and a nearby shelf that holds a book, a small draped statue, and a bust, creating a theatrical focus that guides the viewer’s eye through the narrative.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings in the 19th century, though its earlier ownership record is sparse. It has been attributed to Manfredi based on stylistic parallels with his other works from the early 1600s, confirming its place within the artist’s oeuvre of religious subjects.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolomeo Manfredi was an Italian painter, a leading member of the Caravaggisti of the early 17th century.
Christus als Knabe, Maria, Petrus, zwei Heilige und ein Geistlicher
Der zwölfjährige Jesus im Tempel
Die Heilige Familie mit dem Johannesknaben
Tempelgang Mariae
The Presentation in the Temple
Heilige Familie
Szene aus dem Leben der hl. Klara (?)
L´elemosina (Das Almosen) (Kopie nach)
Kongernes tilbedelse
Isaak segnet Jakob (Kopie nach)
Kongernes tilbedelse
Ecce homo