Artwork
Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Twelve Scenes from Her Life
Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Twelve Scenes from Her Life is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Donato d'Arezzo. It dates from 1330 and is held in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum.
About this work
This painting is called Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Twelve Scenes from Her Life.
It was made by Donato d'Arezzo in 1330.
The artist likely chose to depict Catherine of Alexandria because she was an important figure in Christian history, and her story would have been well-known to the audience at that time.
You can learn more about this type of art at the J. Paul Getty Museum.
Overview
Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Twelve Scenes from Her Life is a 14th‑century panel painting executed by the Italian artist Donato d'Arezzo around 1330. The work combines a central portrait of the martyr saint with a series of narrative vignettes that illustrate episodes from her legendary life. It is part of the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure presents Saint Catherine, a revered early Christian martyr celebrated for her learned debate with pagan philosophers and her steadfast faith. Surrounding the portrait are twelve smaller scenes that recount key moments of her story—her conversion, scholarly triumphs, miraculous interventions, and eventual martyrdom—providing a visual hagiography intended to inspire devotion.
Technique & Style
Donato d'Arezzo employs tempera on wood, a common medium in the Trecento period, with a restrained color palette and clear, linear outlines. The composition balances a static, frontal saint with dynamic, episodic miniatures, reflecting the transitional aesthetic between Byzantine iconography and emerging Gothic naturalism.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1330, the panel likely served a devotional function in a church or private chapel. It entered the Getty Museum’s collection in the late 20th century through acquisition from a European private collection, where it had remained relatively unknown to scholars until recent cataloguing.
Context
In the early 1300s, the cult of Saint Catherine was widespread across Europe, and visual cycles of her life were popular didactic tools. Donato d'Arezzo, active in the Tuscan artistic milieu, contributed to this tradition by integrating narrative sequences within a single devotional object, aligning with contemporary practices of teaching doctrine through imagery.
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Artist & collection
Artist
This 14th-century Italian artist painted bold, gold-framed panels packed with scenes—think a saint’s life told in twelve miniatures.
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