Artwork
Saint Catherine of Siena Receiving the Stigmata
Saint Catherine of Siena Receiving the Stigmata is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Domenico Beccafumi. It dates from 1513 and is held in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum.
About this work
Overview
Domenico Beccafumi’s 1513 oil painting Saint Catherine of Siena Receiving the Stigmata portrays the mystic saint in a moment of divine encounter. The work is part of the Getty Museum’s collection and exemplifies early‑sixteenth‑century Italian religious art.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a woman in a white habit and dark cloak, kneeling with arms outstretched, eyes closed and gaze lifted upward. She is identified as Catherine of Siena, shown at the instant of receiving the stigmata, a symbolic mark of Christ’s suffering.
Technique & Style
Beccafumi employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, using strong contrasts of light and shadow to model the saint’s face and outstretched arms. The illumination draws attention to her expression of ecstatic devotion, while the surrounding darkness deepens the scene’s emotional intensity.
Context
Created during the High Renaissance, the painting reflects contemporary interest in mystic saints and their visionary experiences. After changing hands over the centuries, the canvas entered the J. Paul Getty Museum, where it remains on display.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Domenico di Pace Beccafumi (1486 – May 18, 1551) was an Italian Renaissance-Mannerist painter active predominantly in Siena. He is considered one of the last undiluted representatives of the Sienese school of painting.
Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata
The Miraculous Communion of Saint Catherine of Siena
Saint Catherine of Siena Receiving the Stigmata
Stigmata of St. Francis
Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata
Saint Catherine of Siena Exchanging Her Heart with Christ
Saint Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata
St. Catherine of Siena and the Beggar